


A Pup Amongst Wolves

by Adiboudi



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Angst, Biting, Character Development, Companions Questline, Cunnilingus, Daedric Princes, Daedric Quests, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Dream Sex, F/F, F/M, Fingering, Grinding, Hunters & Hunting, Licking, Light Bondage, M/M, Masturbation, Morning Wood, NSFW, One-Sided Attraction, Rape Fantasy, Sexual Fantasy, Sleep Groping, Slow Build, Vaginal Fingering, Very slow relationship building, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2018-12-31 05:02:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 19
Words: 52,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12125097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adiboudi/pseuds/Adiboudi
Summary: The Dragonborn's once peaceful life suddenly takes a twisted turn when she unknowingly gets involved with werewolves and Daedric Princes.





	1. Chapter 1

 

  Dustman’s Cairn. It was cold, damp… Just like the rest of Skyrim. 

  The Dragonborn couldn’t say that she hated being in this province, but she didn’t particularly enjoy it either; despite having been raised in Skyrim, she couldn't seem to get used to its harsh weather. 

-“Looks like someone’s been digging here.” Agavni jumped at Farkas’ sudden comment. “And recently.” 

  He was right. There were a few draugrs that laid slain at their feet and it seemed that they had been awakened less than an hour ago. The young woman didn’t feel comfortable with the fact that there may be others in this cave; then again, she was with Farkas and he seemed more than capable of fighting off enemies. She threw a short glance in his direction from the corner of her eye and found her heart skipping a beat once more; even if she wouldn’t admit it, she had felt some sort of attraction for the man since his introduction at Jorrvaskr. Both he and Kodlak Whitemane had expressed a warmth towards her that the other Shield-Siblings seemed to lack; Farkas' excitement when she had joined the Companions had made Agavni feel welcomed in the group and ever since then, she had a different view on the Nordic man. 

  Approaching the table at the center of the room, the Dragonborn removed her fur coat and placed it on one of the old chairs, wishing to move more freely in the dreary cave; she would return for her item after they retrieve the fragment of Wuuthrad. As for Farkas, Agavni still couldn't understand how he wasn't freezing with his arms uncovered. 

 An old abandoned book caught her attention. “ _Battle of_ _Sancre_ _Tor_ ,” She read the title out loud, turning towards the warrior with a gleam in her eye. “I’ve been told that this could teach me a lot about wielding a two-handed weapon.” 

-“Vilkas is an expert with two-handed weapons.” Farkas responded huskily and nodded at her. “He could probably teach you more than a book.” 

  Agavni looked back down at the item in her hands. Vilkas didn’t like her, he made it obvious the second they met and even more so after Kodlak had taken her in as a new member of the Companions. The worst was that the young woman didn’t even know why he disliked her; as far as she knew, she hadn’t offended him in any way. Though Farkas lacked his twin brother’s intelligence, Vilkas lacked the other’s kindness. Truth be told, Agavni was intimidated by him, maybe even scared; putting the old book into her bag, she knew that she wasn’t going to be getting any lessons about wielding two-handed weapons from Vilkas. She didn’t have the courage to ask him and possibly face a snide remark on his behalf. 

  As they continued further down into Dustman’s Cairn, Agavni and Farkas came across more draugr tombs; laying a large hand on the young woman’s shoulder, the warrior brought her to a halt. “Be careful around the burial stones.” He said lowly. “I don’t want to haul you back to Jorrvaskr on my back.” Seeing that his warning had rendered his new Shield-Sister nervous, he gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder in an attempt to reassure and encourage her. 

  Taking a deep breath, the Dragonborn mustered her strength and pressed forward. The quiet nature of the young woman was something that Farkas had easily noticed during their journey to Dustman’s Cairn; he was still uncertain as to why Kodlak had taken her in, but he trusted the old man's judgement and would do his best to show her the ropes. 

  Upon reaching a large and well-lit area, Agavni moved to a bookshelf, hoping to find something that would spark her interest: salt, forks, wooden plates... Nothing she needed at the moment. Unable to retain herself she peeked at Farkas over her shoulder; he stood at the far end of the room, contemplating an ancient painting. He seemed to be trying to guess the image that was represented despite the loss of most of the painting’s colors; almost as if feeling her gaze on him, he suddenly glanced back at her. The young woman turned away, unable to keep eye-contact with those piercing blue eyes marked with dark war-paint; face flushed and heart racing, she calmly walked into the nearest room to isolate herself.  _“Ugh… What’s wrong with me?!”_  She thought with frustration, running her face in her hands. 

  Legs shaking with fatigue from their long expedition, Agavni backed up towards a wall hoping to find support and accidentally stepped onto a golden plate that had been abandoned from the previous tenants; her back collided with a hard object before she hit the ground. “Ow…” A soft whimper escaped her lips as she rubbed her aching bottom; her blood suddenly ran cold when she noticed that her only exit was now blocked by iron bars. Rising to her feet, she realized that the object that her back had hit was a button and it seemed to have activated a mechanism for the gate. Panicking, she hit the button a few more times in hopes of undoing her mess. 

-“Now look what you’ve gotten yourself into.” Ah. Right… She was with Farkas. The warrior walked over to the other side of the bars and crossed his arms disapprovingly at the sight of his new comrade being trapped. Agavni cast her eyes to the ground in embarrassment as she had managed to make a fool out of herself in front of the man she was growing fond of. “No worries.” He smiled comfortingly. “Just sit tight. I’ll find the release.” 


	2. Chapter 2

 

  Agavni was thankful that Farkas was present to get her out, though she was certain that she wouldn’t have been in this situation if he hadn’t been with her in the first place. Before the Nordic man could start searching for the release, the Dragonborn noticed multiple shadows moving behind him near the stairs, seemingly trying to sneak up on him. “What was that?” Farkas drew his weapon and turned his back to his Shield-Sister, taking on a fighting stance. 

  Three men and two women, all heavily armored, surrounded the lone Companion; the hatred that their eyes held for Farkas almost seemed to be on a personal level.  _“_ _No! No! No!_ _Please don’t hurt him!”_  Agavni begged mentally. 

-“It’s time to die, dog!”, “We knew you’d be coming here.”, “Your mistake, Companion.” They boasted in turns, wicked grins plastering their cruel faces. 

-“Which one is that?” One of the females asked curiously. 

-“It doesn’t matter.” The leader responded harshly. “He wears that armor, he dies.” 

  The second woman chuckled proudly as their fearless leader stepped closer to Farkas, drawing a silver sword from his sheath. “Killing you will make for an excellent story.” 

  Before Agavni could attempt to help Farkas by negotiating with their nameless opponents, the Companion put his sword away and snarled at the intruders. “None of you will be alive to tell it.”  

  The Nordic man doubled over in pain, visibly growing in size and tearing through his steel armor… “F-Farkas?” The Dragonborn couldn’t believe what she was seeing; he was changing, losing all trace of humanity. It was only when a feral howl echoed through the walls of Dustman’s Cairn did the warrior’s true nature reveal itself: Farkas was a werewolf, over twice as big, ten times stronger and the need for blood clouding his mind. 

  The battle was almost instantaneous as the intruders attacked him at once with their silver swords at hand, each promising him a violent death. The beast struck the first man before he could cast a spell on him, the powerful blow shattering his skull and ending his life as quickly as they had started the fight; the woman who had dreamt of spinning tales of her great battle with the creature of Hircine wasn't as lucky as her comrade. She had attempted to land a strike on Farkas, only to be met with his claws puncturing her torso and being left to bleed out on her own. Agavni couldn’t believe her eyes; this wasn’t the Farkas she knew, the heartwarming and gentle Nord who had welcomed her with open arms at Jorrvaskr and who had offered her comfort when she felt like an outcast amongst the Companions. Tears welling up in her eyes, she watched as the man she had grown fond of massacred his opponents, showing no mercy even when they admitted defeated and begged for him to spare their lives. 

  Clutching her ears, she tried her best to block out the screams, the tearing of flesh and the crunching of bone; her head started spinning as she suddenly wondered what she had gotten herself into by joining the Companions. 

  As Farkas left the best for last and eliminated the leader in a most brutal manner, he glanced back and his stare connected with that of the Dragonborn; his eyes were still icy blue, just as they had been before, but they no longer seemed to hold the kindness of the Nord. Now they held a dangerous charm, an animalistic bloodlust… For the first time around Farkas, Agavni was terrified. 

* 

  After what seemed like an eternity, Farkas finally broke his predatory gaze from his Shield-Sister and ran off, the ground trembling from his enormous weight. The old gate creaked heavily and suddenly started rising, the grinding of its mechanism echoing loudly in the cave; before the Dragonborn knew it, she sprinted out of the room as fast as she could, ignoring the numbness in her legs and headed back through the path from which they had come from. 

-“I hope I didn’t scare you.” Farkas returned to the room, scratching the back of his head sheepishly and having turned back to normal. The answer hit him like a brick wall when he saw his new Shield-Sister making a run for it; wishing to explain himself, he quickly followed her. “Agavni! Wait!” 

  Panic had taken over the Dragonborn and she no longer paid attention to her surroundings; getting out of Dustman’s Cairn and as far away from Farkas as possible had become her top priority. Her entire life she was told that creatures like werewolves were nothing but myths and rumors, that she had nothing to worry about; after what she had witnessed, she refused to take a chance and stick around a creature who could take out five well-trained warriors on his own. 

  Escape was almost within her reach when she was suddenly yanked back by her hair, the violent pull shooting a sharp ache through the young woman's scalp; the draugr that had snatched her golden locks scowled down at her, its smell of decay leaving a vile taste in the back of Agavni's throat. Without realising it, she had managed to awaken every draugr she had successfully snuck by earlier. " _Aav Dilon_!" Though the undead creature spoke in a foreign language, the message was surprisingly clear in the Dragonborn's mind:  _Join the dead_! 

-"N-No!" Her stomach churned as she fought back the need to vomit from the scent of rot, quickly concentrating her magicka in the palm of her hand. “Get away!” She cried out as she cast a fireball at the draugr, sending it hurling to the other end of the hallway; Agavni caught a glance of Farkas dodging the creature on his way up the stairs. He was close. 

  Making a final dash, the young woman slammed the weight of her body into the wooden door and fell into Skyrim’s snow; she hissed in discomfort, arching her back and curling her hands into fists.  _“So… cold…”_  She cursed mentally. Painfully crawling up to her feet, the young woman proceeded into the snowstorm, hoping that she could escape Farkas' chase. 

  Killing the numerous draugrs that his Shield-Sister had left behind wasn’t a difficult task, but it had certainly stalled Farkas long enough. Once he reached the broken entrance door and stepped out into Skyrim, he found the young woman nowhere to be seen, her scent very faint to his sensitive nose. “Damn…” Concern took over him at the thought of his new Companion wandering the mountains on her own with Silver Hands roaming the area. 


	3. Chapter 3

 

 Shuffling slowly through the snow, Agavni’s legs had gone past exhaustion; they felt heavy, numb… The young woman wanted nothing more than to curl up in the furs of a warm bed and rest for an entire day. The question was: Where would she go after this incident?

 Heading back to her home in Whiterun was out of the question, not with the Companions’ presence there.

 The College of Winterhold was the only option that she had in mind at the moment, as she already had her own room there; perhaps if she was lucky enough, she would be able to catch a carriage on the way. What also bothered her was the fact that she had forgotten her coat in Dustman’s Cairn; how she was going to reach Winterhold in this biting cold and covered in sweat was beyond her.

 She hurried through the path that she and Farkas had followed on their way to Dustman’s Cairn, her mind in a turmoil as she started thinking of what needed to be done and what could have been done. _“Maybe I should have let him explain himself…”_ She thought to herself, guilt suddenly chewing at her heart after the adrenaline rush. _“No, I couldn’t risk it. By the Nine, the guy just killed five people in cold-blood! If he had decided to kill me too for knowing his secret I doubt that I would have been able to fend him off.”_

 Her feet stilled when the thought of Kodlak, the Harbinger of the Companions, suddenly dawned on her; she had only met the man a few days ago and he was already a father figure to Agavni’s eyes. Could she really just leave without saying anything to him? Then again, he was the leader. He must have known about Farkas’ lycanthropy. _“I have a feeling that Farkas isn’t the only werewolf in the group…”_ Still, she held a form of respect for Kodlak, even if she suspected him to be a creature of the hunt as well. After giving it some thought, she decided that she would send him a letter once she had the possibility.

*

 It seemed that Zenithar was on the Dragonborn’s side during her journey, for she had crossed paths with Bjorlam, the carriage driver from Whiterun; from the look that the Nord gave her upon greeting each other, Agavni knew that she didn’t exactly look her best. Dirty, bloodied, fatigued… She could tell that he was curious as to what kind of situation she had been in, but he refrained himself from asking out of courtesy. He had agreed to drop her off at Winterhold for a fee, which the Dragonborn agreed to pay upon their arrival.

-“Climb on back and we’ll be off.” As the young woman climbed aboard the wagon and settled herself, a brownish material was suddenly dangled in front of her; she glanced up confusedly to find the driver offering her a blanket to keep warm. It most likely belonged to the horse but Agavni wasn’t going to let that stop her from accepting an item that she so desperately needed. “Better bundle up. This may keep up a while.”

 She offered him a soft smile for his kind gesture. “Thank you, Bjorlam.”

 It didn’t take long for the warmth of the blanket and the rocking of the carriage to have effect on the exhausted young woman, quickly lulling her into a much-needed sleep.

*

-“You big oaf! How could you have lost her?!”

-“The storm was covering her scent, I couldn’t track her down.”

 Aela was about to add something when Vilkas decided to cut in their conversation. “That’s no excuse. You could have transformed again, brother.”

-“She was already scared as it was,” Farkas argued, still upset with how the whole thing had gone down, “there was no way I was going to run after her as a beast.”

 Aela turned her attention to the old man at the table, reading what seemed to be his journal. “You’ve been quiet, Kodlak. What do you think?”

 The Harbinger of the Companions read a few more lines from his book, as if going over some of his notes; closing the item in his hand, he leaned back in his chair with a tired sigh. “We must bring her back.” He answered simply, his statement more of an order than a suggestion. “Aela and Vilkas will go. After what she witnessed, I’d rather you stayed here, Farkas.”

 Aela nodded respectfully and took her leave, always ready to execute an order. Once the door closed, Vilkas turned to Kodlak with an exasperated look on his face. “Do we really need her, Master?”

-“I told you not to call me that, Vilkas.” The old man repeated patiently; Vilkas really was a stubborn one, compared to his brother. “We need her. Just bring Agavni back and I will explain her everything.”

-“Is it because of that dream that you had? How do you know that she’d even be willing to help? And did you even stop to think that you might anger Hircine-”

-“That’s enough, Vilkas!” Kodlak’s voice boomed within the halls of Jorrvaskr. “You will bring your Shield-Sister back to her family and that’s final.”

 The young warrior stood before him, defeated; he nodded reluctantly and left with frustration. Farkas, who had remained quiet during the argument, decided to speak his mind. “Kodlak, I’m afraid I have to agree with Vilkas on the last part. Won’t you be angering Hircine by curing yourself?”

 Kodlak knew that there would be consequences for his actions. “It is mostly likely that I will, Farkas. But I have spent my entire life fighting the beast inside me, fighting the urge to kill and hunt; I wish to spend my last years as a man and when the time comes, I will join my brethren in Sovngarde. As for Hircine, if he calls a hunt on me, so be it. I will be ready for him.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a little longer to write as I had a bit more difficulty with it, but I definitely enjoyed writing it! Thank you very much for your patience, dear reader!

**-“Mm, finally, a good hunt. It’s been such a long time.”**

_-“This isn’t a hunt, not to mention that it really hasn’t been that long since the last one…”_

**-“You’ve been neglecting me, boy… I’m not happy.”**

_-“I let you hunt two days ago!”_

**-“Yes. The prey were Silver Hands; they deserved to die for killing so many of our kind.”**

_-“Then why do you say that I’ve neglected you?”_

**-“Because sometimes, a wolf tires of killing bears; sometimes, a wolf wishes to catch a little rabbit, one who will flee for its life, only to end up in the bone-crushing jaws of its killer. I crave the blood of an innocent, Vilkas, and I haven’t killed one in a** **_very_ ** **… long… time. This one… she is exactly what I need.”**

_-“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear another word from you.”_

The beast chuckled maliciously, drooling at its impure desire to kill. **“I can’t wait to hear her screams as we tear into her flesh…”**

_-“I said that’s enough!”_

 A hand gripped Vilkas’ shoulder and stopped him in his tracks. “Are you alright? You seem unwell.”

**-“We’re hungry.”**

-“I’m fine, Aela.” He reassured the huntress, silencing the voice of the beast into a lost corner of his mind. “Let’s just find the girl quickly and get back to Jorrvaskr.”

 Nature seemed to be in their favor for their search on this day: the sun was already setting and the snowstorm was ongoing, which meant that their tracks would be hidden from wandering travelers and they would be able to transform without worrying about prying eyes catching them, especially those of the Silver Hand or Vigilants of Stendarr. “Perhaps we should split,” the tough huntress suggested, “we’d cover more ground that way.”

-“I agree.” Vilkas replied, taking in their surroundings; Agavni could have been anywhere, but there were a few places where they would most likely find her. “We should check around Dustman’s Cairn, maybe she’s still in the area; going to need to watch out for Silver Hand members though. You’ve faced them plenty of times, haven’t you? Think you’re up for it?”

-“Ha! Of course I am! How can I pass up that kind of fun? Alright, so I’ll take the West then; know where you’ll be heading?”

-“Not yet, I’ll see if I can find a trail and follow it. We’ll give a holler if anyone of us finds her.”

 As the red-headed woman disappeared into the distance towards their Shield-Sister’s last known location, the voice of the beast spoke once more in Vilkas’ mind. **“Oh, you sneaky bastard. You know where she is, don’t you?~”** He didn’t answer the creature, knowing that he would only excite it further; but he did have an idea where Agavni might be hiding.

*

-“J’zargo is upset with you, friend.”

 Agavni was suddenly pulled from her concentration and quickly glanced up from her book; her Khajiit classmate stood before her in his apprentice mage clothes, arms crossed over his chest and staring down at her disapprovingly. “Why is that, J’zargo? Have I wronged you?” She questioned worriedly, wondering what it was that she could have done to upset him within the one hour of her arrival.

-“The Dragonborn is gone for days and when she returns, she doesn’t come to greet J’zargo. This one thought that they were friends.”

-“I… I’m sorry, J’zargo. It wasn’t my intention to upset you…” From the look on Agavni’s face, he knew that she couldn't tell that he was joking with her.

 The Khajiit mage burst into hearty laughter, grinning toothily at the young woman. “J’zargo is simply kidding, friend! This one is happy to see you again.”

 Breathing a sigh of relief, the Dragonborn smiled at her comrade. “I’m glad to see you too, J’zargo! I’ve missed your lighthearted company.”

 Though she had nothing against him, she would have prefered for him to leave her alone with the books that she had planned to read; instead, he pulled up a chair beside her and grabbed the item from her hands. “What are you reading?” He questioned curiously, raising an eyebrow at the title. “ _Physicalities of Werewolves._ Since when is the Dragonborn interested with werewolves?”

-“I-I just thought that… uh… it would be interesting to read on, uh… myths… a little bit.” That sounded believable, right?

 The Khajiit closed her book without thinking of saving the page that she was on and placed it on his lap, away from her reach. “Can you… Can you possibly help J’zargo?” He was going straight to the point it seemed.

  _“I just got here…”_ Agavni thought hopelessly. She just wanted to read up on these new creatures in her life and call it a night; but with her competitive classmate distracting her, she doubted that she would get any work done. Not to mention his unusually timid tone touched a sensitive string on her heart. “Depends on what you need help with.”

-“J’zargo has worked hard on learning new spells, trying new things. This will make J’zargo stand out as a mage; but J’zargo works so hard, there is no time to test these new spells. If you help with the testing, this will make learning easier. J’zargo will give you scrolls, you will use them and report the results. This is a good plan, no?”

 That didn’t sound too bad… Agavni hated seeing her classmates having trouble with their studies and she wanted to help them with the best of her abilities; if the Khajiit needed his scrolls to be tested, so be it. “Alright, I’ll help you. Give me the scrolls.”

-“This one is very grateful! Let’s see… Here, take this one. J’zargo had designed it to be an excellent flame cloak, with a twist.”

-“A… twist?”

-“It is especially potent against the undead, and should burn them to a crisp in no time.” Agavni wanted to ask him if he had anything against werewolves instead, but she refrained from asking him, knowing that it would pique his interest on the subject.

 J’zargo opened the scrolls and explained to her the writings that he had inscribed with magicka; the words being written in his mother tongue, he took the time to teach Agavni the proper way of pronouncing them and the gestures needed to cast his spell. By the time that they were done with the lesson, the Dragonborn no longer had the energy to read the books she had asked from the librarian; Urag gro-Shub gave her permission to borrow the books on the one condition that she returned them undamaged.

 She had managed to get some rest on her ride to Winterhold, but Bjorlam’s carriage had been too uncomfortable for her to wake up well-rested; right now, she really needed a fur-covered bed. Upon reaching her room, Agavni didn’t bother to change her clothes, far too exhausted from her unusual day, both physically and emotionally; placing the items with care on her night table, she proceeded with crawling into her bed. She finally felt safe, warm and unbothered, with nothing to worry about for the rest of the night.

 As she dozed off, she failed to notice the threat in the corner of her room… It stared at her smaller figure with a hungry gaze, analysing her shapes: wide hips, slightly narrow waist, large chest falling and rising at a steady pace… Her body was attractive but its eyes remained on her exposed neck; it wanted to sink its teeth into her smooth skin and watch as her blood slowly stained her sheets.

 To its eyes, she was weak and unguarded; almost too easy. It smiled. **“Kill her.”**

 


	5. Chapter 5

  The room was slightly dark, its only source of light being the crescent moon shining through the single window, as well as a few small luminescent ingredients on the wooden shelves: glowing mushrooms, fire salts, fireflies… The small shadows around these sources danced slowly to the rhythm of the light’s movement while the drapes that hung on the walls fluttered softly at the gusts of wind coming from the hallway. It almost felt as if the Dragonborn’s room had a life of its own with an aura of quiet and tranquility; in a way, it was close to matching her personality.

  Outside the snowstorm had begun anew, howling violently within Winterhold; though they’ve only known each other for a few days, Vilkas had noted that, strangely enough, Agavni seemed to find these kind of nightly sounds soothing. No wonder she was sleeping so deeply tonight despite everything she had witnessed…

  Vilkas rose from the chair heavily, muscles still burning from his race from Whiterun and a deep growl rumbling in the back of his throat; Agavni was letting her guard down too easily and it frustrated the life out of him. Did she really think that she wouldn’t have been found? **“Go on, Vilkas. Release that anger onto her. Make this her last mistake.”**

  Silently approaching her bed, he sat at the edge beside the young woman’s smaller frame; the creaking of the mattress failed to wake Agavni from her deep slumber, but it did cause her to stir in her sleep and turn over towards him. Damn it… She was like a rabbit being presented on a silver platter before a wolf. The beast within beckoned him to press his fingers around her neck and squeeze, to choke her to death; before Vilkas knew it, he was hovering his armored hand over the Dragonborn’s throat, inches away from strangling his innocent Shield-Sister. **“Do it, boy. Do it and I promise to leave you alone for a few months.”** It was such a tempting promise, to have peace from the beast even for a little while.

  But this wasn’t the first time that Hircine’s creature made a promise to Vilkas; in the end, it always returned to him, hungrier and meaner. And it always demanded more victims, more blood to be spilt for its twisted pleasure…

  Taking a deep breath, he struggled to fight back the beast into silence and quickly clasped his hand over Agavni’s mouth, maybe a little too hard for his liking; she woke up with a jump, her gasp muffled by his hand and blue eyes wide in terror. Quickly realizing that it was Vilkas who was muzzling her, she immediately grabbed his wrist and forearm in a blind panic, enveloping his limb in a dangerous frost; though the cold usually didn’t bother the werewolf, he did feel the sharp pain of the spell that she was casting. Were she to leave it on him for too long, he was certain he’d be afflicted with a severe case of frostbite.

  His hand tightened on its own accord, the beast suddenly taking over his mind; grinning excitedly upon seeing the state that Agavni was in, it was ordering Vilkas to crush her jaw. The young woman shut her eyes in pain as tears slowly welled up; a small sob escaped through her nose as she struggled to breathe properly, her irregular heartbeats drumming loudly in Vilkas’ ears. It was distracting… The Nord had trouble concentrating on what he was actually here to do: getting her back to Kodlak in one piece. **“Almost there. Just press a little more~”**

  Refusing to go down easily, Agavni kicked her legs, struggling to get them out from under her sheets; when they were finally free from the fabric, she raised her knees up to her torso and attempted to kick Vilkas in the chest. Her attack failed poorly when the man twisted his body to the side, avoiding the sudden blow and hooked his arms under her legs, trapping her lower half in a tight hold.

  Leaning down to glare into her frightened eyes after she let out what sounded like a muffled scream, Vilkas loosened his grip on her mouth, reminding himself that he needed to keep his strength under control lest he would accidentally fulfil the beast’s desire. “ _Quiet_.” He growled impatiently. “Don’t. You dare. Scream. I’ll strike you down if you do, understood?”

  Agavni quickly attempted a nod despite his grip on her face restricting her movement. “I’ll release you; but first, I’ll need you to undo your spell.” She hesitated for a few seconds, Vilkas couldn’t blame her; but when she did as told, the man kept his word and slowly liberated her. Once freed from his imprisonment, she carefully distanced herself from him, sitting at the head of her bed.

  The Companion got off the mattress and turned away from Agavni, running a shaking hand over his sweaty forehead. _“That was too close.”_ He perished the thought of what could have happened here and quickly addressed the young woman. “Kodlak wants to see you.”

-“I-I was going to send-”

  Vilkas held up an opened envelope. “A letter. I know.”

  Suddenly, a slim figure stopped at the doorway, temporarily interrupting their conversation. “Agavni?” Brelyna Maryon spoke groggily, rubbing her eyes and squinting into the room. “Is everything alright? I thought I heard a racket…”

  The Dragonborn had half a mind of asking the Dunmer mage for help with her escape from the claws of the lycanthrope; but then again, Brelyna Maryon was still an apprentice in the arcane arts and her reflexes were slow due to being half awake. Agavni didn’t want to risk her classmate’s life like that. “Everything’s fine, Brelyna, you can go back to bed.”

-“If you say so…” The Dunmer woman bid her a good night and retreated for the rest of the day.

  Turning her attention back to the matter at hand, there was only one reason Agavni could think of for the lycanthrope’s surprise visit. “I swear, I’m not going to tell anyone, Vilkas.” She promised, praying that he was going to let her off the hook for knowing the Companions’ secret.

-“Of course you won’t. We’d hunt you down if you do.”

-“So you’ll leave me alone then?”

   Vilkas held up the letter that Agavni had written for Kodlak and ripped it apart. “As I said, the old man wants to speak with you. Everything you wrote in this, you will say it to him in person.”

-“I’m not going back.” She argued with a quiver in her voice. “How do I know that I won’t be murdered the second I step through the doors of Jorrvaskr?”

-“If we needed you dead, whelp, I would have ended your life right here.”

**-“We still could…”**

-“You’d kill me? Right here, in the college? With all these mages around to witness the act and turn against you?” To Agavni, Vilkas was either bluffing or a fool; if it was the latter and if he was anything like Farkas when transformed, then Agavni knew that she didn’t stand a chance.

-“I’m _not_ giving you a choice.” He declared through clenched teeth, the difference in height between the two suddenly evident to the young woman’s eyes as the Companion towered over her. “Whether you like it or not, you’re coming with me and that’s final.”

-“A-Alright, Vilkas, alright…” Her voice had gone soft, as if trying to calm him down before he did something that Agavni would have trouble stopping. “But please… let’s leave tomorrow morning. I’m exhausted, I just want some sleep without anyone or anything bothering me.”

  Vilkas thought it over for a while, thinking if there was any way that her suggestion could be a trap; starting to feel the exhaustion after his adrenaline rush, he realized that it would probably be best for him to rest as well before heading back to Whiterun. “Fine. I’ll stay at the inn for the night.  But don’t even think of running.”

-“I couldn’t even if I wanted to; you’d just find me again…” As Vilkas left Agavni to herself, she suddenly felt helpless, unable to comprehend what she had gotten herself into.

   Little did she know that she had yet to experience the worst, and that this was just the beginning of a challenging path in her life.

 


	6. Chapter 6

  A warm bed, food and most importantly ale… The Frozen Hearth inn at Winterhold wasn’t the best there was in Skyrim, but it had the three things Vilkas needed and that was all he cared for. He had paid ten gold coins for the only available room to be his for the night and settled himself down at an empty table for some quiet reflection; drinking perhaps his fifth mug of ale, the Nord paid no attention to the number of drinks he was consuming. Though his lycanthropy gave him extremely high alcohol tolerance and practically prevented him from taking part in the pleasures of getting drunk, the bitter booze had managed to calm his tensed nerves and knock out the beast for the rest of the night. Vilkas was just glad that he wouldn’t be hearing from the crazed voice for a while…

  Many thoughts swam through his mind, yet he failed to concentrate on any of them as he found himself temporarily distracted by the innkeeper’s quiet bickering with his wife; they did their best to keep their conversation private, but their argument was loud and clear to Vilkas’ sensitive ears. The husband and wife mostly discussed their daughter’s upbringing within Winterhold and the lack of customers within the inn; they were clearly worried about their little girl’s future and their lack of income wasn’t helping either, yet the love they held for one another seemed to be holding the marriage together for the moment.

  Vilkas couldn’t care less about the married couple’s life complications; their mundane conversation was easily ignored. What was irritating the Nord was the bothersome mage that kept staring at him from a distance; the displeasing burnt scent that lingered in the air was probably caused by him. Vilkas guessed that it was an experiment gone wrong… 

-“Everything to your liking? Anything I could get you?”

  The Companion glanced up at Haran, the innkeeper’s wife, and nodded his head towards the glaring Altmer. “What’s his deal? Should I be worried?”

  Smiling apologetically, the woman shook her head and picked up the empty cups laying before her customer. “Pay him no mind. He’s just had many bad encounters with men like you.” 

-“Men like me?” Vilkas wasn’t certain if he had to take that as an insult.

-“Big warrior types. They always seem to like picking on the mages here; I take it you’re not here to cause trouble, are you stranger?”

  Grunting in response, Vilkas chugged down his last drink. “As long as he doesn’t try some weird experimental shit on me while I sleep, there won’t be any disturbances.”

-“Don’t worry about Nelacar. He has a permanent room here at the inn, but he keeps to himself and doesn’t cause any trouble.” As if trying to change the subject, Haran offered Vilkas another mug of ale; turning down her offer, the Companion stated that he was retiring for the night. He needed a good night’s rest if he was to face Agavni’s highly possible resistance in the morning, not to mention that he needed to save up on money in order to pay for a carriage for the ride back to Whiterun.

  Locking the door to his bedroom behind him, Vilkas started discarding his armor, fingers clumsily fumbling with the tight straps. “This is the last time I’m asking Farkas to help me tie these things…” He muttered impatiently. It took him a while to undo them, but when he finally managed to remove the heavy items, his body felt like it could finally breathe again. He was already dreaming of taking a bath and washing off the dried sweat of the day covering his body, but Winterhold held only frozen lakes; he’d have to wait until they reached Whiterun the next day to clean himself off.

  His body welcomed the comfort of the furs as he collapsed onto the bed, having kept his pants and boots on his being, uncaring of them dirtying the clean sheets; though a dull ache ran through the muscles of his back and thighs, he felt at ease and crossed his bare arms under his head.

  Thoughts of Kodlak and Farkas crossed his head as he stared blankly at the ceiling, finally alone in a quiet room to contemplate in peace. He was worried for both of them: the old man was obsessed with getting cured and, despite his age of wisdom, was underestimating the power of Hircine. Vilkas was certain that the stubborn man would be hunted down by the Daedric Prince to a most brutal outcome and that was something that he wasn’t ready to see happening to Kodlak.

  As for Farkas, Vilkas knew of his brother’s soft nature, and he was certain that the oversized man was considerably upset with how things had gone down with Agavni. He honestly didn’t know what to expect when he would bring the young woman back to Jorrvaskr and that plagued Vilkas to no end…

  A heavy sigh escaping his lips, the Companion felt the fatigue starting to catch up to him and he slowly found himself being pulled into sleep. He would think things through in the morning…

  Just as he closed his eyes, he suddenly felt a cold blade pressing down against his Adam’s apple.

  Usually he would have heard a door opening or at the very least footsteps approaching him, but his breathing in the silence was all he picked up; his eyes shot open, his mind fully alert. Glancing to his right, he expected to see either Agavni or Nelacar at his side. Even though he was impressed with the amount of stealth that was put into this maneuver, the lycanthrope had adrenaline rushing through his veins and was ready to lunge at his perpetrator’s throat.

  He refrained all further actions when he noticed that it was neither his Shield-Sister nor the inn’s strange mage threatening his life while he had attempted to sleep.

  Instead, he found a fit and lean figure sitting comfortably in the chair near the table bearing his armor, legs spread open in confidence before his eyes and one hand resting lazily against the armrest. The other hand held the weapon at Vilkas’ throat: a sharpened and blood-stained spear, the smell of a recent hunt still tainting its metal.

  Through the darkness were a pair of golden, predatory eyes piercing into the Companion’s soul; they held authority over Vilkas on a physical, mental and spiritual level. That gaze alone would easily bring the tenacious and headstrong man down to submission.

  If those traits weren’t enough to reveal the silhouette’s identity to Vilkas, the majestic antlers that protruded through the large being’s head were enough, for he only knew of one person possessing such a unique attribute:  Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the Great Hunt and Father of Manbeasts, was in his rented bedroom and, to Vilkas’ distress, he didn’t look happy.

-“Well met, hunter.” The Daedra greeted casually.

-“Uh, well met, Master…”

  Hircine reached over the table and, with the flick of his wrist, lit up the few candles that laid unused. Vilkas would have prefered to remain in the dark with the Prince, at least that way he wouldn’t have been able to see the pissed look that plastered Hircine’s strong features. Furthermore, the lighting emitting from the candles seemed to accentuate the intimidating aura surrounding his Master and that sent an uncomfortable shiver down the Nord’s spine. “What’s the matter? You look displeased to see me.”

-“Well, you  _ are _ holding a weapon at my throat…”

-“And I am doing so with good reason.” Hircine ran his calloused fingers over the metal of Vilkas’ armor, causing light scratches with his dangerous claws. “I’ve been keeping a close eye on you. You’ve been distancing yourself from me…”

-“I don’t know what you-” The Companion was quickly silenced when the sharp blade sank deeper into his neck, drawing tiny beads of blood from the small incision of the flesh.

  Bringing his fingers to his nose, Hircine took in the odor from armor. “You’ve been on a pursuit today… The scent is quite fragrant, sweet… Who were you after?”

-“A… A woman.”

  Eyes squinting in fury and disappointment, a guttural growl rumbled in the back of Hircine’s throat as he bore his teeth menacingly. “You let your prey live, didn’t you?” When the Nord failed to answer fast enough, the Daedric Prince finally pulled the spear away and placed it beside him against the armrest with a heavy sigh. “You’ve become a disappointment, Vilkas. You used to be one of my favored huntsmen, and now I barely smell the hunt on you; I could sense you casting aside the beast.” Suddenly, the Companion felt an excruciating pain at the side of his temple, like a sharp needle slowly penetrating his head; he felt his heart pounding against his chest as his body burned with dangerous desire. “I do not let go of my followers so easily, nor do I accept disappointments; you will go back to your prey and finish your hunt!”

  Vilkas could feel Hircine’s powerful influence pushing aside all reason he had within; he had to come up with something fast before he ran back to Agavni and murdered her in her own chambers. “I… can’t.”

-“You’re defying me?” The Daedric Prince snarled through clenched teeth; if he could kill with a single gaze, Vilkas would already be lying dead.

-“No, not at all! It’s just that, I can’t hunt her because… she’s our new Shield-Sister. You wouldn’t want me to kill a new family member, would you Master?”

  Hircine raised a curious eyebrow, his hold on Vilkas’ mind lessening. “And why were you pursuing your new  _ Shield-Sister _ ?”

-“One of us transformed in front of her and she freaked out, causing her to run off.” Vilkas explained, hoping that the Daedric Prince of Manbeasts would have it in him to understand the situation. “I came here to fetch her and bring her back to the Companions, make sure that she doesn’t say anything to anyone.”

-“I see…” Hircine seemed calmer, passive for the moment; but Vilkas knew that he shouldn’t let his guard down with daedras, especially Daedric Princes. Still tensed, he listened to what the inhuman being had to say. “You want to make sure that she keeps your gift a secret.”

-“Yes, Master.” Though the Daedric Prince was intimidating in nature, Vilkas was glad to know that Hircine was also comprehensive, that he understood and accepted the Companions’ desire to keep their lycanthropy a secret from the public; it had taken the group a while to try and convince the Prince for their need for secrecy, but at least in the end they got their Master’s approval. “Kodlak will speak with her. She’s on good terms with him, she’ll listen to him.”

-“There’s no guarantee that she’ll keep her word if you simply speak to her. In order to keep her quiet, she needs to feel as if she endangers herself by turning against her new brethren, that the very people she will seek help from could easily turn against her. When speaking of the Companions, her name must be affected as well.” Hircine leaned forward, pressing his elbows onto his knees and a malicious grin spreading across his chiseled face; Vilkas could tell that he took pleasure in this situation and that he had found a way to use it to his advantage. He braced himself for the worst. “Vilkas, you must make it her secret as well; I want you to pass my gift onto her. I want  _ you _ to turn your new Shield-Sister into the very beast that she fears.”


	7. ***NSFW***

-“No.” The word left Vilkas’ mouth before he could help himself, only realizing that he had just opposed the Huntsman of Daedric Princes when the latter’s features suddenly darkened; Hircine wasn’t one to take ‘no’ for an answer and the Nord knew that all-too-well. He had personally experienced the Father of Manbeasts’ harsh punishments when he had first entered his service; his body still held the numerous scars of his resistance as a whelp, reminders to watch his tongue around his Master.

  Jaw clenched, brows knitted in a frown and a murderous intent flashing in his inhumanly golden eyes, Vilkas could tell that the dangerous being was pissed at his unintentional defiance.

-“I’m not giving you a choice, Vilkas.” The large Daedra informed darkly, a threat clearly lingering behind his words. “You will be her forebear, whether you or she like it or not.”

  Despite what Aela and Skjor would say, Vilkas believed the beastblood to be a curse; he couldn’t accept the idea of being responsible for bringing down Hircine’s so-called ‘gift’ upon someone’s life.

  As much as he was resentful of Agavni for entering their lives, he was aware that she was completely innocent in this whole situation; she didn’t know what she was getting into when she joined them. To her eyes, just like everyone else’s, the Companions were just a guild of warriors, a new family. How was she to know that they were werewolves serving a Daedric Prince?

  Furthermore, Agavni’s nature was an open book to Vilkas: the young woman was smart, perhaps even smarter than he was giving her credit for, and she obviously knew the consequences for tattling on the Companions. The Nord knew that their secret would have remained safe with her had he decided to leave her alone.

  But Kodlak was right… They were cursed. And as much as he feared Hircine, Vilkas wanted a remedy to his lycanthropy as much as the old man did, and he knew that his brother desired it as well.

  Agavni was the only lead they had towards this much-desired cure, even if it had only appeared to Kodlak in a vision…  But if in order to be free of the beast once and for all meant that Agavni would lose her soul to Hircine, then that was a sacrifice that Vilkas was willing to make at this point for his family, no matter how guilty and furious his conscience was.

  He’d have to find a way to go through with the ritual without Kodlak knowing, for he knew that the Harbinger would be greatly against such a decision and that there was a high chance of the old man taking the blame upon himself, thus bringing down his own execution.

-“Yes, Master…” The Nordic man muttered bitterly, casting his gaze away from Hircine. “Though I’m not certain if she’s fit to be in your pack...”

-“I’ll be the judge of that.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that one bit. Vilkas tried to sit up but Hircine quickly hit him against his bare chest with the back end of the spear; he felt uncomfortable and exposed lying on his back before the Father of Manbeasts. Too exposed for his liking. “What are you going to do?”

  Hircine smiled softly at Vilkas, a dark and cruel intention in plain sight. “It’s nothing that you need to worry yourself about. However, I do need to know more of her appearance. I’ll be taking my leave soon and won’t be able to see her for myself for the moment.”

-“U-Uh, well…” Vilkas glanced up at the ceiling and thought back on Agavni’s appearance. “Golden hair, blue eyes… Big… uh…”

  This particular trait was something that Vilkas knew would please Hircine; but he didn’t want to get Agavni into more trouble than she was already in. It was still uncertain if the Daedric Prince already had anything sick planned out for the young woman; but in case if he didn’t, Vilkas refused to plant the seed of the idea. Then again, the size of her breasts were easily noticeable…

  Holding back his tongue, he glanced at Hircine; the Daedric Prince had his arms crossed over his chest, an eyebrow raised in anticipation. “Big _what_ , Vilkas?”

-“Nothing…” Clearing his throat, the Nord looked away in embarrassment; he had already lost control of the situation long ago and was now counting the seconds until Hircine would leave him in peace.

  A heavy sigh left the Father of Manbeasts’ mouth as he shook his head in disapproval. “Complete lack of information. You know what? Just place your scent on her and I’ll track it down.”

-“How?” Vilkas rolled his eyes in aggravation. _“Just leave already!”_ He thought, irritated and exhausted.

-“You’ll find a way.” The Daedric Prince was clearly losing patience with Vilkas’ disrespect; the Nord was drifting away from his Master, and Hircine was determined to remind him who was in charge.

  Vilkas nodded in comprehension, certain that their unnerving discussion was finally over. Yet Hircine wasn’t done with his suddenly rebellious follower. “Tell me, when was the last time that you bedded someone?”

  The Nord stared at the grinning Daedra with bewilderment. “Excuse me?”  
-“You’re awfully tense. If you’re not going to hunt, then at least a good fuck could help you release that tension and bring your mind back to its place.”

-“With all due respect, Master, I can’t concentrate on anything more that you’re saying with you manspreading in front on me…”

  Hircine couldn’t care less of Vilkas’ discomfort as he spread his legs even further apart, the furs wrapped around his waist only doing so much to cover what hid underneath. “Since when did you get so bashful, Vilkas?” Rising to his feet, the Daedric Prince of the Hunt moved beside the Companion and sat at the edge of the bed; placing his arm over the Nord, Hircine caged the man beneath him. “Perhaps… you’d prefer your Master to help you with relieving that tension.”

-“W-What?! No!” Vilkas sat up in a rush and boldly shoved at Hircine’s chest to distance the large being from him. “Fuck off!”

  Before the Companion had time to react, a handful of his thick brown hair was violently grabbed and his body forcefully slammed back down onto the furs; the sudden maneuver knocked the air out of Vilkas’ lungs as he instinctively grasped Hircine’s wrist in an attempt to loosen the hold on his locks. Yet his efforts of injuring his Master were failed as the bracer that the Daedric Prince wore was stronger than any known metal and was difficult to bend despite the lycanthrope’s inhuman strength.

  The Huntsman crawled onto the bed, his eyes animalistic and lustful as he kept a tight hold on Vilkas; the Nord winced painfully as his head was violently tugged back into his pillow, exposing his neck to the predator. Despite no longer being able to see Hircine with his gaze directed onto the wall behind him, Vilkas was no fool and knew exactly what the violent Daedra was planning for him.

  Climbing higher to be at eye-level with his follower, Hircine smiled down hungrily at Vilkas, his much broader body casting a shadow over the trapped man. “Spread em’.” He ordered huskily, a dangerous gleam in his eye as he pressed his knee between the Companion’s tired legs and pushed against the inner thighs, clearly indicating his demand.

  Vilkas tried his best to resist Hircine’s domination over his mind, but the supernatural being’s power over him easily took effect; to his dismay, his body obeyed its Master as his legs parted under the Daedra, unwillingly inviting Hircine to settle himself between his limbs and to have his way with the Nord.

  He felt like a submissive dog, on its back, neck and stomach exposed to a much stronger canine; growling in fury, Vilkas cursed at Hircine for making him feel and look this vulnerable. Had he not been a Daedric Prince and nearly impossible for the Companion to kill, Vilkas would have easily fought back and given him the beating of his life. But his soul belonged to Hircine and it obeyed his every command, no matter how sick and twisted they were.

  The Father of Manbeasts ran a skilled hand on the inside of the man’s clothed left thigh as he pressed his heavy body down onto Vilkas’ and nuzzled the bare neck; he breathed in the scent of sweat and blood covering his follower’s skin, scents that agitated every fiber of his being. Hircine smirked proudly when he felt a shudder run throughout the headstrong Companion as he gave the tough neck a long lick, its saltiness pleasant to Hircine’s tastes. Excitement clouded his thoughts as the beating of the jugular vein suddenly pounded against his tongue; such a vital part of the human body. All it would take was a small cut. Ah mortals… So weak, such easy prey…

  Clutching onto the sheets, Vilkas held back his deep groan of pain as he felt sharp teeth slowly sinking into his flesh, eventually hearing the tear of his skin and the scent of his own blood filling his nostrils; he started feeling dizzy as Hircine clamped down on his windpipe to subdue the struggling man. The pain that flowed to his head was far greater and distracting than the slow and hard grinding of the Prince’s crotch against his own.

  This was the first time that the Daedra was attempting to screw him; but during his time as a whelp, the Companion had learned that submitting to Hircine usually ended a punishment. He didn’t want this, but he knew that fighting back the fatal being could result in his throat being torn out, especially with the powerful jaw locked on his neck. Whether it was done willingly or accidentally, the Father of Manbeasts was capable of such a thing. Vilkas found himself with no other choice...

  When Hircine felt his follower's resistance end, he nonchalantly released the Nord’s neck and hair, placing his hands on each side of Vilkas' head to hover over him. “Don’t forget your place, Vilkas. All of you, belongs to me; I don’t want you to ever distance yourself from me again, is that understood?”

-“Yes…”

  A feral growl rumbled deep within Hircine’s chest. “Yes, _what_?”

-“Yes… Master.”

-“Good boy.” The Daedric Prince purred, claws scraping down Vilkas’ chest, leaving shallow cuts along the skin over his abdominals, then resting said hand at the curls just below the Nordic man’s navel; just as he was about to sneak his fingers into the hem of the Companion’s pants, Hircine suddenly stilled. He quickly glanced up towards the window, something having clearly caught his attention as his ears twitched in response. “Thief…” He hissed, baring his teeth as fresh blood dripped down his chin and onto the motionless man below him. “How foolish to think that one can steal from a Daedric Prince without any consequences.”

  Vilkas breathed out in relief as Hircine dismounted him; quickly sitting up, his hand instinctively reached for his neck, a grimace etching over his face at the fresh wounds his Master had afflicted. Had they been caused by a normal human being, he would have been able to heal within moments; but this was done by Hircine… The injury would perhaps take two to three days tops to close up.

  Taking a hold of his weapon and summoning a portal to his Hunting Grounds, Hircine glanced back at his follower, uncaring of the trauma he had almost caused. “It seems that I have new business to attend to.” A sly grin danced at his lips as he winked at Vilkas. “You were asking me how you’d place your scent on your Shield-Sister; I believe you have an answer now. Why don’t you join her for the night?”

  Vilkas didn’t answer and Hircine was glad; that was the type of submission he was going for. Right before stepping through the portal, the Huntsman had a sudden realisation. “Where is she now?”

-“At the college. We’ll be heading back to Whiterun in the morning.”

-“Not very wise…” The Daedric Prince commented, shaking his head in disappointment. “I thought that you were smarter than this.”

-“What do you mean?”

-“Leaving her alone at that college. Don’t tell me that you forgot the presence of Savos Aren… If she’s as terrified of us as you claim her to be, then she’s probably already on her way to the Arch-Mage as we speak.”

  It was as if something suddenly clicked in Vilkas’ mind. _“Shit! He’s right! How could I have been so careless?!”_ Jumping out of bed, he dashed through the door of his room, ignoring completely the frightened looks of the innkeepers at the sight of his blood running down his throat and chest.

-“By the Nine, lad! What happened to you?!” Haran’s question fell on deaf ears as the Companion pushed open the entrance door with enough force to nearly tear it off its hinges.

  His legs had a mind of their own as they rushed him back to the College of Winterhold before Agavni would attempt to contact others for help.

  Though his heart pounded loudly in his eardrums, drowning out the voices of the guards and the howling of the snowstorm, Hircine’s hearty laughter echoed loudly and clearly behind him; it was cruel, mocking… And it made Vilkas hate the Daedric Prince of the Hunt more than he ever did since the day he had agreed to sell his soul to this devil.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Wolfloverfu2 for being a sweetheart and helping me out with wording some paragraphs, and to OmniGamer for the amazing motivation and inspiration! <3

  Imperials, Stormcloaks, Dragons… With all the tension in Skyrim, the calming silence of the College of Winterhold was always a welcomed environment for Agavni. Sure there were a few minor explosions and a couple of failed experiments transpiring here and there, but when everything was going smoothly and as planned for the resident mages, it was a peaceful dwelling for all.

  The College was a tranquil place that the young woman could call ‘home’, a place she could run to in order to sooth her mind and relieve the stresses of life, but most importantly to escape the world when she felt pressured… Here, she was neither a Dragonborn nor a Companion; here, she was just another student enjoying the teachings that the College had to offer in the arcane arts.

  However, the unwanted presence of Vilkas within the frozen city had sullied her safe haven… Resting on her back in the dark of her chambers, the silence of her room that once brought her peace and comfort seemed to be weighing down on her mind and soul with every passing second, sending Agavni into an unnerving state of anxiety; she glanced around nervously, on guard and uncertain of what she was exactly looking for. Alone in this deafening quietness, escaping the numerous thoughts in her head almost seemed like an impossibility.

  Turning to her side, she pulled her knees up against her chest and curled up into a fetal position, her body running uncomfortably cold despite the warmth of the chambers; unpleasant tremors coursed through her person in a short and frequent rhythm, her mind having yet to recover from Vilkas’ startling assault. Tugging the toasty furs over her shoulders, she sought even a fragment of well-being in her own home.

  Yet every time she closed her eyes in an effort to resume her slumber, she found the Companion’s image towering above her once again; his piercing silver eyes, insane and sadistic, were forever etched in her memories.

  What perturbed the young woman was that deep down, Vilkas seemed to enjoy watching her struggle for freedom and suffer under his iron grip; for a moment, Agavni had the impression that she was dealing with a cold, heartless monster who couldn’t care less if it ended her life.

  Moreover, the fact that her spell hadn’t been acting fast enough during his ambush simply pushed her deeper into dread. “I need more practice.” She concluded quietly, deciding to master as soon as possible the ability to inflict frostbite within seconds to an enemy; she didn’t know why, but she had a hunch that she would need it in the future to defend herself.

  Reminiscing on this unsettling incident, the young woman pressed her quivering fingertips on the abused muscles of her jaw, attempting to massage the ache away; she started wondering what would have happened if Vilkas had continued to press down onto her mouth. How much would her bone have been able to handle before it gave in, before it fractured? What would it have sounded like?  Would she have suffered as long as the intruders did in Dustman’s Cairn or would Vilkas have it in him to put an end to her torment? Turning over onto her stomach and pressing a feverish forehead into her feathery pillow, she shut her eyes tightly in an effort to control her suddenly disturbing reflections. _“Perish the thought…”_ Her mind instructed her, taking command once more of her psyche.

  She also couldn’t comprehend exactly why Vilkas had left her alone for the night. Not that she desired nor needed his company, but how could he just trust her to obey him and stay in her chambers like a dog in a cage? Paranoia crept into her mind as her thoughts tried to explain the reasoning behind Nordic man’s actions; quickly inspecting the vast room, she contemplated the possibility of Vilkas somehow keeping an eye on her despite his claims that he would be staying at the inn.

  Suddenly unnerved and disconcerted at the thought of being stalked, the Dragonborn pulled the covers over her head and holed up beneath the furs. As odd as it was, she felt hidden from whatever it was that she felt watching her from the shadows of her room; however, after a few minutes of growing heat and a lack of oxygen, she emerged from under the sheets gasping for air. “This is ridiculous…” She huffed in exasperation. “Am I going to sleep at all tonight?”

  A voice in the far end of her mind kept urging her to get up and seek help, to refuse to take the Companion’s threats laying down; after seeing what she believed was only a remnant of his dark mind, Agavni felt immensely uneasy returning to Jorrvaskr escorted by Vilkas.

  Deciding that sleep wasn't going to come to her any time soon, she figured that some fresh air in the College’s courtyard might help her organise her jumbled thoughts a little bit better. She rolled off of her now messy bed, tucking her shirt loosely into her pants; scrolling through her wardrobe, her hand automatically stopped and glided over one of her a silky white robes.

  She couldn’t help it… Softness was her weakness, whether it came from a material or a creature; the feeling fascinated and soothed her, even in the most difficult of times. Agavni was well aware that the thin fabric would do little to keep her warm against the winter chill of Winterhold, but her physical comfort was the furthest concern from her mind; throwing on the light clothing over her shoulders, a delightful shiver ran down her spine as the velvety and cool material caressed her bare skin, tracing a content smile across her face.

  Unfortunately, the diversion was short-lived as the young woman began to enter nervousness again; unable to stand the distressing atmosphere any longer, she quickly made her way out of her claustrophobic room, cursing a little too loudly for her liking when she clumsily stubbed her foot against the hardwood of her bed.

-“Agavni? Is that you?” A voice called out groggily.

  Biting back the urge to scream in agony at her awkwardness, she limped stiffly to Brelyna Maryon’s room, peeking her head in and waving timidly at the classmate. “Y-Yeah, so sorry for waking you up again.” She whispered apologetically.

-“That’s quite alright.” The Dunmer yawned, sitting up confusedly in her bed. “Is everything ok? Who was that guy? Are you in trouble?”

 _“Yes… An interrogation in the middle of the night is exactly what I need."_ With a lack of proper sleep after an arduous day, the young woman’s patience was growing thin no matter how hard she tried to remain understanding. “Don’t worry about it, Brelyna, I’ll be fine. Go back to sleep, I promise I won’t wake you again.”

  The truth wouldn’t be easily revealed by the Dragonborn, Brelyna knew this for a fact; unconvinced by Agavni’s dismissal of her concern, the Dunmer decided to avoid pressing the subject. “Just… take care of yourself, alright? You spend too much time helping others.”

  Agavni didn’t know what to say. She was taking care of herself, wasn’t she? It’s not like she was constantly getting into trouble or anything… And the way Brelyna said it made helping others sound like a bad thing. _“I’m too tired for this… I need to get out now!”_ Bidding her classmate good night, she retired to the courtyard with a heavy heart as more thoughts had been added to her agitated mind.

*

  The soft winter breeze caused a slight distraction, granting Agavni a few minutes of peace from her restless mind; strolling through the freshly fallen snow, she watched as the snowflakes waltzed through the air, momentarily entranced by their dance. In this solitude, the snowfall put on a show for the young woman’s eyes only; they twirled and soared, letting Agavni’s imagination run wild. She imagined a woman dressed in a bridal gown whirling across the empty courtyard, pure and in love; she danced with the wind, joyful and romantic.

  Closing her eyes, Agavni swore that she heard her mother's sweet and loving voice humming a familiar lullaby in her ears; it reminded her of home, of how far away she was from it. No matter how much she wanted, neither the College nor the Companions could ever replace the family she grew in. As a tight lump formed in her throat, she slowly grew homesick; quickly shaking her head, she banished the subject from her mind before she would start crying.

  As she leaned her head back, a gentle smile spread across her rosy features, the droplets of snow feeling like little kisses against her skin; sticking out her tongue, she attempted to playfully catch a few snowflakes. Though she felt a bit ridiculous, some enjoyment was received from this activity as silent laughter managed to escape her lips during some failures.

  Her moment was quickly fleeting as her part-Nordic blood started to fail her; she slowly began quivering again, this time from the chilly climate. As much as she loved the silky texture of her robe, regret of not having worn something warmer rose within her. “Best to get back inside before I catch a cold…”

  As she turned back to head indoors, the College’s grand statue at the center of the courtyard caught her attention; she couldn’t help but be enchanted by it anew. The sculpture was that of a male mage, with his arms raised above him in confidence as he seemingly conjured a spell powerful enough to put his robes in movement; Agavni was impressed by the work and effort put into the making of this memorial, fascinated by how the details actually gave life to the stone man. Despite all her time spent at the school, the identity of the mage was still a mystery to her. Was he the founder of the College? Or just one of the previous Arch-Mages? Growing curious, she decided that it would be wise to inform herself by questioning one of the elders.

  She suddenly found herself thinking back on the day she had first met Savos Aren; this was exactly the spot where he had introduced himself to her and welcomed her to the school. Admittedly, Agavni found him quite charming and eloquent, enjoying his way with words and the calmness that emitted from him every time they spoke. His wisdom seemed unlimited as he always had a good piece of advice to offer to his students.

-“Wait a second…” An idea slowly dawned on her and before she knew it, she was heading into the Hall of Elements. _“Maybe Savos Aren could give me some advice.”_ She thought to herself as she climbed the stairs up to the Arch-Mage's chambers.

  Eagerly climbing the infinite stairs to his grand room, Agavni hastily wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. _“You know what?”_ Her mind paused her in her tracks. _“Stop. Take a deep breath and think this through. I know you’re intimidated by Vilkas, but don’t forget Kodlak. He's important to you; if you speak to Savos Aren, you'll most likely get the Companions in trouble and that would break his heart. Go back to Jorrvaskr and listen to what he has to say; do it for him.”_  Reluctantly retreating her hand, Agavni hoped with all her heart that she was making the right decision.

  Just as she was about to turn away and return to her room, a hand violently clasped her already aching mouth and pulled her into a dangerous embrace; an intense and inhuman heat radiated into Agavni’s back, bringing her anything but comfort. She knew exactly who it was and instantly knew that she had been caught red-handed.

  Warm air breathed down her neck, sending an unpleasant shiver down her spine. “You were going to tell him, weren’t you?” Vilkas growled into her ear, causing the young woman to instinctively tilt her head towards him; her neck was one of the most sensitive parts of her body, and having the Nord breathe down on it brought her uneasiness.

  The Companion grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back to restrict any further movements; her blood ran cold when she felt him bare and sticky against her fingertips. _“What the hell is that on him?!”_ Panicking, she pulled all sorts of conclusions: Did he get in a fight? Kill the innkeepers? Or as much as Agavni hated to think it, perhaps he had jerked off before coming here? Her curious fingers twitched instinctively against his abdomen, inspecting the strange consistency of the liquid covering his thick skin in hopes of disproving her last thought; as his muscles tensed under her gentle touch with a shiver and a low feral growl rumbled within his chest,  all color faded from Agavni’s face as she started believing her last disturbing theory. _“Please don’t tell me that’s… By the Nine! That’s disgusting!”_

  Before she could fight back against his firm hold, Vilkas ushered her to the bottom of the staircase and away from the Arch-Mage’s hearing; releasing her, he brutishly slammed her into the stone wall and grabbed a hold of her shoulders, holding her tightly in place. “Stop making this difficult for me, woman!”

-“I wasn’t going to tell him!” She objected, pressing her arms up against her in defense as she tried to fight back his uncontrolled strength; he was scaring her and she didn’t know what to do. He was too big, too strong and more importantly he seemed to have lost his mind.

-“That’s it! You’re coming with me!” Wrapping his hand once more around her small wrist, he pushed open the large door with ease and forcefully dragged her out into the courtyard.

  Having had absolutely enough of being treated with such brutality, Agavni gathered her courage to fight back against the warrior and tried to break free from his clutch. “Vilkas! Let go!” Though she was glad that the substance on his body wasn’t semen, the blood that stained him was anything but relieving; at this point, she refused to go anywhere with him.

  Using the weight of her body, she leaned back and twisted her wrist towards the connection between Vilkas’ thumb and the rest of his fingers, giving her arm one hard tug; even though she managed to free herself, she lost her footing upon stepping on ice and gracelessly fell to the freezing ground.

  Annoyed by her tactic and unimpressed by her awkwardness, Vilkas made his way to pick her up with a deep snarl; he hit the ground with a heavy thud when she swiftly slid her leg underneath him in hopes of slowing him down. Now he was pissed…

  Having learned from the earlier incident that Vilkas was quicker than she anticipated, Agavni didn’t risk a second kick to his face as he might take a hold of her legs again. The young woman quickly turned on her hands and knees to flee, but before she could attempt her escape, the lycanthrope grasped her ankle and violently pulled her beneath him; landing on her stomach in the cold snow, she barely had the time to register the pain of ice scraping against her soft flesh as she slid under his large body.

 She felt unprotected and bare when he flipped her over onto her back, her mind on full alert when he pushed his knees in between her legs to keep her from striking his vulnerable crotch; instincts kicking in, she attempted a right hook to his strong jaw, which he easily evaded. Catching the attacking hand, he pulled her arm over her chest and pinned it to the ground over to her left; though she was already limited in her movement, Vilkas’ hand dove down to clasp around her delicate neck without a thought. Were the beast within still awake, it would be dancing with delight, tempting him to finish her off; but the beast was gone for the night and Hircine’s follower was entirely responsible for his actions.

  Agavni’s breath hitched when he squeezed ever so slightly around her windpipe, shutting her eyes in a silent prayer for mercy and mouth gasping for air. Vilkas leaned close to her, only a few inched away from her frightened face, a carnal rage plastered over his tired and bloodied features. “You’re testing my patience, whelp. Next time, I won’t hold back.”


	9. Chapter 9

-“You could have at least let me grab a coat or something…”

-“It’s not  _ that  _ cold…”

-“For you!” Retorted Agavni, throwing a jealous glance at the shirtless man marching beside her; the snowflakes quickly melting upon contact with his sweat-stained skin, Vilkas didn’t seem even slightly bothered by the winter chill unlike the quivering woman he was escorting. “You just want me to freeze to death, is that it?”

  Vilkas looked down at her, seemingly pleased with himself as a subtle smirk danced upon his lips. “Not exactly…”

  He wasn’t making eye-contact… Confused, Agavni followed his gaze and found him staring intently at her chest; to her dismay, her white shirt had turned see-through after their brawl and was exposing her bosom to the lycanthrope. Turning beet red, the young woman crossed her arms protectively over her voluptuous breasts. “Y-You…  _ Pervert _ !” She blurted out nervously, giving the shameless man a hard glare. “Stop staring!”

  The Companion ignored her demand as his piercing eyes wandered carelessly over her curvaceous body, his possible intentions with her unnerving the young woman.  _ “D-Damn it! He looks like he’s about to devour me!” _ Embarrassment washed over Agavni as she could no longer stand to watch him hungrily scan her being, quickly breaking contact with the Companion; panicking, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was planning on bedding her once they reached the inn.  _ “Hell no! I won’t let him!” _

  No. She wasn’t ready to have her virginity taken away from her, especially from a man she held no form of romantic attraction for, and who made her feeling anything but love and comfort. Her virginity would go to someone special in her life, someone who would one day put a ring on her finger and call her his. Not to some horny Companion looking for a one night stand...

  They continued their walk over the ancient bridge to the mainland in an awkward silence, until Vilkas realized that they would be crossing paths with a town guard; throwing an arm over her shoulder, he pulled the smaller being close against his side and growled menacingly. “Say anything and I  _ will _ transform.”

-“Is that a threat?” His Shield-Sister muttered, trying to wiggle free from under the weight of his limb.

-“A warning…” He corrected, giving her shoulder a light squeeze to keep her struggling in check. To his relief, the guard seemed oblivious of the bloodied stranger within Winterhold; most likely that his vision had been significantly reduced from the violent blizzard.

  Though the young woman disapproved of the proximity of their bodies, she almost immediately ceased her efforts to distance herself from him, for Vilkas possessed one of Agavni's weaknesses besides softness: Warmth. For a moment, the Dragonborn’s mind received comfort from the very person she feared despite his threats; closing her exhausted eyes and letting the Nord guide her freezing body through the snowstorm, she savored the temporary relaxation the lycanthrope provided.

  However, her peace of mind was short-lived when she suddenly remembered where he was taking  her and of the possible outcome: Vilkas attempting to screw her. Her instincts refused to ignore the predatory look he was giving her and urged her to make a run for it; yet her mind knew all-too-well that she wouldn’t be able to outrun the lycanthrope, physically lacking the stamina and strength to escape the inhuman Companion. “L-Listen, I’m sorry that I went to Savos Aren but you saw that I stopped myself. I promise I won’t try anything.” Agavni tried to convince softly,  her failed struggles resuming as she pushed into his ribcage, heart beating faster and faster the closer they got to their destination. “Vilkas, please let me stay in my room.”

-“I’m not risking it. You’re staying with me for the night whether you like it or not.” A guard dog, that’s what he was: a tenacious and unyielding hound.

*

  As they reached the Frozen Hearth, Vilkas hopped up the stairs with ease while Agavni held onto the railing for support, unable to swiftly climb the black ice covered steps like her escort; she made a mental note to suggest the innkeepers to pour salt over the ice if they wished to avoid having customers fall and break something. As if bringing this fate down upon herself, she lost her footing on the patio and instinctively grasped Vilkas' forearm before she tumbled once again. "S-Sorry..." She quickly released his strong arm, a pink blush creeping over her cheeks; as if she hadn't embarrassed herself enough during their fight in the College's Courtyard...

  Vilkas remained unimpressed as he twisted the cold handle and pulled the door open, directing the flustered woman into the inn with his free hand.  _ “Tsk! By all means, rub your victory in my face…”  _ The Dragonborn’s mind murmured bitterly as she walked past him with an irritated click of the tongue.

  Though she was absolutely displeased with his cockiness, she shuffled her way inside and welcomed with open arms the dry environment; gazing at the crackling flames at the center of the room, Agavni dreamed of sitting by it with a hot cup of tea, wrapped in a furry blanket and slowly recovering her body temperature. Alas, this remained a reverie as she was rudely ushered towards a dark and isolated room, one that she guessed was rented by the Companion for the night. “Go wait for me in there.” Was the only order she received from the bulky man.

  As his Shield-Sister quietly obeyed, Vilkas approached the bar where the innkeeper stood bewildered at the sight before him; a profusely bleeding warrior wasn’t something he was used to seeing… Countless concerns ran through his head as his better judgement told him to comply to the Nord’s wishes without any questions. “I need a bowl of water, and something I can use to clean and wrap this up…”

-“Haran,” the innkeeper called to his wife, “bring this good lad some water and rags, would you?”

  Haran didn’t question the demand, all color having drained from her face at the disturbing display; she had a bad feeling about this stranger and had insisted that her husband called in the guards, but as always the stubborn man that she had married was quick to dismiss her worries.

  She clearly wanted to question their customer as to what had caused his injuries, but Vilkas’ dark glare was enough to silence her. Disappearing into the basement of their inn for a few minutes, Haran rushed to find the items that were asked of her; through the ruckus, the Companion could hear the worried mother instructing her little girl to stay put in the basement until she would say otherwise. He rolled his eyes in annoyance, slowly losing patience. Soon enough, Haran  returned with a wooden bowl filled with clean water and strips of ripped tissue, most likely from an old dress that was no longer needed. “H-Here you go.”

  Tucking the fabric under his arm and taking the dish from her hands, Vilkas caught her staring worriedly at the frightened young woman in his room. “From the College,” he explained calmly, his mind having already devised a lie, “specializes in restoration. She’s agreed to help me with the wounds. You wouldn’t want me to bleed out in your inn, would you?”

-“N-No! Of course not! Please, if she needs anything else…”

-“She’ll ask you.” Heading back into his rented room without another word, Vilkas kicked the door shut behind him, isolating him and Agavni from the others.

  The young woman was clearly tensed and on guard as she observed his actions, undoubtedly uncomfortable with staying in the same room as him; the fact that he was bloody and half-naked didn’t help either.

-“Didn’t you tell me that you wanted to sleep?” The man questioned sarcastically as he wetted a piece of cloth and proceeded to padding it down onto the puncture wounds; hissing quietly, Vilkas cursed Hircine’s name for the injuries he had inflicted upon his person. The Daedric Prince’s sharp canines had sunk deep into the Nord’s neck, the lacerations sending a constant ache to the Companion’s head.

_ -“Didn’t you tell me that you would be staying at the inn?” _ Agavni wanted to reciprocate, holding back her tongue as she was convinced that Vilkas wouldn’t appreciate her salty comment.  _ “I mean, I find it awfully coincidental that you popped out of nowhere right as I was standing at Savos Aren's doorstep...” _

-“I couldn’t. Not after your assault…” Agavni muttered quietly, an accusatory tone in her voice; the stress of the situation was churning her stomach as a fever was setting upon her shivering body; though the material clung uncomfortably close to her skin, the young woman preferred to fall ill rather than removing her damp clothes in front of the Companion.

  Vilkas sighed in aggravation, quietly admitting that he probably shouldn't have spooked her to begin with. "Yeah well now, you're stuck with me for the night... So better to make yourself comfortable, cause I won't be taking my eyes off of you after your little stunt."

-"I said I was sorry!" She apologized once more. "It's not like I told him."

-"You didn't tell him because I stopped you."

  Agavni couldn't believe this. "I stopped myself before you even caught me!" Realizing that she was suddenly being ignored, she huffed out in disbelief and turned away from him, mentally insulting the irritating man.  _"Jerk..."_

  As his injuries sent another jolt of pain through his body, Vilkas' temper was wearing thin. His mind ran a mile a minute as endless thoughts coursed through his head: he pondered on his ever-growing fear of Hircine as well as the desire for a cure to his lycanthropy, the very same curse that he needed to bring down upon his innocent Shield-Sister lest he risked execution by the Daedric Prince. Scared, guilty, helpless, rebellious... He felt like he was being pulled in so many directions at once that it was all getting too much for him.

  Before he could control himself, the Companion finally snapped. “ _ Fuck!! _ ” He furiously grasped the edge of the table and threw it across the room, tarnishing the furniture as it violently colliding with the wall and sent the contents that laid on its surface crashing to the ground; a startled yelp escaped Agavni’s lips as she instinctively backed away from the frenzied Nord, breath quavering in fear and eyes wide in terror, surprised by his sudden outburst. “All of this is bullshit! Kodlak, Farkas… And now you attempting to contact Savos Aren? Really?! Things are already difficult for me, why do you have to make them worse? And I can’t believe you even tried such a thing while I’m around! Absolutely foolish!”

  Just as he was about to bark once more at the trembling woman, a knock suddenly came at the door, followed by the innkeeper’s concerned voice. “Is everything alright in there? What’s with all the ruckus?”

  Growling at the interruption, Vilkas nodded towards the door, insisting Agavni to reply to the worried man; he shot her a murderous glare when she hesitated, clearly terrified of the Companion she was trapped in the room with. She wanted to cry for help, to find a means of escape; but after witnessing Farkas' capabilities, the young woman imagined his short-tempered brother capable of much worse in his bestial form.

-“E-Everything’s alright, Dagur.” She stuttered nervously as she lied through the door, fighting back the urge to burst into tears. “My friend… he’s… in a lot of pain. His wounds are quite severe. I’m so sorry if we unnerved you, we’ll keep it down.”

  The innkeeper remained quiet for a few seconds before finally speaking up. “If you say so. Just holler if you need anything, lass.”

-“Thank you, Sir, I will.” Her heart sank as she heard his footsteps fading, leaving her alone once more with Vilkas.

  She shut her eyes tightly, trying to control the violent tremors in her body; swallowing down the lump in her throat, Agavni gathered her courage to speak up in an attempt to soften the Companion’s rage. “Listen, I  _ really  _ am sorry for what I tried. All of this is new to me, I didn’t know what to do, what to think…”

-“Ha! And I suppose you want me to take pity on you?”

-“I didn’t say that I did!” Every word he spoke was like a dagger to Agavni’s heart; surely what she did wasn’t  _ that _ bad. It’s not like she ended up talking to the Arch-Mage! So what exactly was Vilkas’ problem? Why was he making her feel worse than she already did? Clenching her fists tightly, she refused to let him beat her down like this any longer. “Would you just stop being so mean?”

  Vilkas sneered at her, mock plastered over his face. “What’s the matter?” He approached the small, easy prey, backing her into the cold wall. “Didn’t your parents teach you how to grow some backbone? Then again, I’m not surprised; after all, a fool is only born from another fool.”

  There was no thought, no hesitation when Agavni suddenly struck him. Vilkas was viciously snapped out of his raging state when she violently collided her hand with his cheek, the blow sending a stinging pain to the left side of his head; to say that he was taken aback by the sudden assault would be an understatement.

-“How  _ dare _ you insult my parents!” An indescribable fury blared in Agavni’s once gentle features; in her eyes danced the violence and aggression of a dragon, setting ablaze a fire deep within her heart and soul. Clearly, the Companion had touched a sensitive nerve. “You insult me, fine! But I will  _ not _ stand by idly as you speak ill of my parents!” Despite being much smaller than him, she advanced confidently, her hands pushing at his broad chest in confrontation.

_ -“So there’s that strength of spirit that Kodlak saw in her when we first met.” _ Admittedly, Vilkas was both surprised and fascinated by her sudden change in attitude.

-“You didn’t know my parents nor the hardships they went through! The things my mother did for me, casting aside her own needs to raise me properly and happily. And my father, he was a good man, a warrior with a passion in his heart! He… he-”

_   “-he loved me. And he abandoned me…” _ Her voice stilled, unable to speak this thought that her soul had painfully grown to believe; it was the last drop and the glass having held all her emotions finally tipped.

  Vilkas noticed her blue eyes almost instantly well up as she looked away, gaze cast to the ground, brows furrowed and lip quivering. Pressing a hand over her mouth and turning her back to him, she was clearly attempting to keep herself quiet; though no matter how hard she tried, Vilkas’ sensitive ears could hear her soft sniffling.

  Damn it… He wasn’t good with crying women. Never knew what to do.  _ “Shit… Why can’t she just throw a few punches like Aela when she’s upset? Why’d she go and have to start crying?”  _ The Nord  cursed internally at himself for losing his cool and getting himself in this situation; his anger was meant for Hircine, not Agavni. The Daedric Prince was the one turning his life into a nightmare, and instead of directing his frustration towards the Huntsman, he threw it onto his new Shield-Sister. He grew ashamed with himself for having snapped at someone weaker and smaller than him.

- _"_ _ I shouldn’t have brought her parents into this either…” _ His mind spoke regretfully as he pinched the bridge of his nose, a migraine settling deep within his head; from the way Agavni reacted, it was obvious to Vilkas that it was a sensitive subject for the young woman. Despite wondering what she was going to say about her father, the lycanthrope decided that it would be best to not press the discussion further.

  Reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder, he attempted an apology. “Hey, listen I…” Despite her anger and sorrow, she gently shrugged him off of her and raised her index finger at him. Vilkas got the message: she needed some time to herself.

  Tightening his jaw, he picked up the wooden bowl from the floor and opened the door, leaving Agavni alone in the dark room to regain her composure. There was something about her cry that created a heavy ache in Vilkas’ chest; it was far from loud and annoying. Her sobbing was quiet, full of heartbreak and pity; guilt gnawed at Vilkas' conscience and he felt like an asshole for sinking to a new low. At this point, he was just waiting for the night to be over, to finally return to his family in Jorrvaskr.

*

   _“He didn’t abandon me…”_ A part of her mind reassured while the other said otherwise.  _ “He did, you know he did.” _ She couldn’t control her tears; they streamed down her cheeks, releasing a pain that had never truly left her despite all the years of her father’s absence. She shouldn’t have spoken about him. She shouldn’t have brought back these memories and thoughts; but Vilkas was sullying her parent’s names and she refused to remain silent.

_ “Come on, that’s enough! Stop crying damn it!” _ Taking in a shaky breath, she exhaled deeply, feeling her mind going numb from exhaustion. Legs wobbling, she sat herself down upon the only chair in the room, resting her face in her hands and slowly pulling herself back together; she knew that she hadn’t cried like this in a long time, but did it have to happen in front of the Companion? Embarrassed and disappointed in herself, she didn’t know how she would be able to look at Vilkas ever again; as if her thoughts summoned him, she quickly wiped her damp cheeks and turned her head away from the door when she heard the knob turning.

  Vilkas walked back in with a cup of fresh water, quietly shutting the door behind him; he picked up the overturned table with his free hand and gently set it down in its designated spot. Placing the cold liquid beside the young woman, the Companion did what he knew needed to be done, even if Agavni would refuse it. “I’m sorry.”

  His apology received a short nod; he wasn't certain if she had accepted it or not, but at least it was better than nothing.

  Proceeding with wrapping his wound with the torn fabric given by Haran, the Nord threw a sideways glance at the young woman curled up in the large chair; memories of his earlier encounter flashed in his head, especially when he was rudely awakened with the discomforting view of Hircine’s crotch in front of him. “Wouldn’t sit there if I were you.”

-“Why?” He didn’t answer, his face flushing softly with uneasiness at the recall. “Well where should I sit then?” When Vilkas nodded towards the bed, Agavni crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, unknowingly pushing up her breasts before the Companion. “No.”

  Letting out an aggravated sigh, the man leaned against the table and placed a hand on his hip.  _ “Seriously? Who does she take me for? Hircine?” _

-“I’m not going to rape you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

-“And you expect me to just believe you? After all the stares you've been giving me?”

-“Tsk! Fine. Sleep there if you want…” If she wanted to stay on that chair for the night, so be it; Vilkas no longer had the energy to argue tonight.

  When he was finally done with tending to his injuries, he stretched out snugly in the warm furs of the bed and crossed his arms under his head.  “Last chance.” He offered his Shield-Sister once more to share the bed; when he didn’t hear a reply, he curiously turned his attention towards the young woman and found her still seated in that godforsaken chair with her knees pulled up against her chest, reading a book that the innkeeper had left on the windowsill.

-“Fine then…” Grabbing one of the sheets from the bed, he tossed it at her. “At least take off that robe and cover yourself with this, otherwise you’ll get sick.”

  Rolling the warm and soft fabric into a messy bundle, Agavni set it onto the table and crossed her arms over it, resting her head onto her fabricated pillow with her back turned towards the man. She didn’t need to say anything for the Companion to understand that she was still upset with him.

  Sighing, Vilkas had a feeling that this was going to be one hell of a long night…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to OmniGamer and Wolfloverfu2 for all the amazing help and support!! I love you guys! <3  
> And a big thank you to The-Peacock-Girl for letting me use "a fool is only born from another fool" in the story! I had a lot of trouble finding a way for Vilkas to insult Agavni's parents and this quote really helped me out! ^^


	10. ***NSFW***

  Sleeping in was a luxury that Agavni no longer seemed to possess ever since she moved to Whiterun, and even less when she’d stay at the College of Winterhold. She longed for the days where she would curl up in the warmth of her bed until the afternoon, mentally and physically recovering after an arduous day when her muscles ached and begged for rest. Gods know that she needed such a day…

  The heart of Skyrim was always loud in the morning, never allowing the young woman to return to sleep once she was awakened; Adrianne Avenicci, the blacksmith of Whiterun as well as the Dragonborn’s neighbor, started her work as early as 6 am every day, her hammering at the first rays of the sun having become a frustrating annoyance to Agavni. And if it wasn’t the hard working blacksmith that alerted the young woman in the morning, the busy marketplace of Whiterun certainly did the trick as the merchants enjoyed negotiating and advertising their products out loud at the break of dawn.

  Though the College of Winterhold took her far away from her duties and stresses as a Dragonborn, her mornings were often interrupted by a panicked classmate barging into her room in search for help; those peers were usually J’zargo and Brelyna Maryon. Agavni was always willing to aid them in finding a solution to their troubles, but she couldn’t understand why they always ran to her when an experiment would go wrong and not head to their teacher instead.

  Today, however, was different. There were no loud voices communicating over one another at the marketplace, no forges at work… There wasn’t the familiar boom of a failed experiment coming from Brelyna Maryon’s room nor was there J'zargo barging into Agavni’s chambers in a blind panic for some ridiculous reason… This quiet and peaceful morning was one she hadn’t experienced for what seemed to be an eternity, and there was nothing to disturb the young woman’s deep and much-needed slumber.

  Rays of the sun shone through the frosted window of the rented room in the Frozen Hearth inn, caressing Agavni’s cheek like a lover’s kiss. 

  She stretched slightly with a soft groan, eyes slowly fluttering open; it took a while for her blurred vision to come to as her mind was still in a haze. What time was it? Where was she? She couldn’t remember much, but a part of her didn’t care, wishing to bask for a while longer in this moment that she had been longing for.  _ “I haven't slept this well in such a long time…” _

  Pleasant warmth radiated into her back as a weight around her body held her down protectively, tempting her back to sleep; wiggling within the furs of the small bed, the young woman unconsciously snuggled closer to the source of the heat.

  Her eyes suddenly shot open when something tightened around her waist, pulling her body closer to said heat with a soft moan; the color drained from Agavni’s face as the movement was followed by a squeeze around her right breast. She hadn’t expected to receive any sort of response believing to be alone within the room, let alone  _ that _ kind of response…

  It dawned on her that the room she was in wasn’t her own; before her was the chair she last remembered falling asleep in, now empty with her silk robe thrown carelessly over the backrest.  _ “I’m at the inn.” _ Last night’s nightmarish events slowly returned to her memories, as well as the one who was responsible for them.  _ “Oh Gods… Don’t tell me I’m in bed with…” _

  Moving her attention to the unusual tightness around her being, she found a strong arm, more precisely  _ Vilkas’  _ arm, wrapped around her still clothed body as he spooned her smaller frame from the back. “V-Vilkas?”

  He stirred in his sleep lightly, nuzzling the back of her head. Inhaling deeply with a snore, his warm breath upon exhaling into her hair sent a sharp shiver down Agavni’s spine, causing goosebumps to rise over her bare arms. “Five… minutes…” Mumbled groggily the sleeping man.

-“Uh, Vilkas… ” A crimson blush spread across the young woman’s cheeks as she desperately tried to pry his arm off of her, especially his curious hand from her breast.

-“I said: five more minutes…” He repeated a little more clearly, hiding his face away from the brightness of the sun as he pushed into her soft locks. “Then you can panic as much as you want.”

  Agavni wasn’t going to have any of this; she demanded an explanation. “Why am I in bed with you?”

  Letting out a heavy sigh, Vilkas grumpily nudged the back of her head. “Tsk! You’re not going to let me sleep, are you?” As he let out a long yawn, Agavni shuddered at the warm air that he blew down onto her. “Fine, calm down… You started shivering in your sleep last night; I brought you into the bed where you’d be warmer and more comfortable. It would have been troublesome if you got sick for the journey back to Jorrvaskr…”

-“I would have prefered to fall ill than to wake up with you spooning me! And why are you holding my breast?! Release it!” Agavni wiggled nervously, wishing to get out of the inappropriate situation.

  Kneading her bosom in his large hand, Vilkas replied with a cocky smirk. “So soft… Helped me go right back to sleep after I carried you beside me.” Agavni growled and grasped his hand, digging her nails warningly into his tough skin as he attempted to sneak his fingers into her clothes in hopes of getting a better feel for her breast; he lazily admitted defeat by pressing his hand over her collarbone. “By the way, did you know that you purr in your sleep?”

-“What?! No I don’t!”

  A deep chuckle rumbled within Vilkas’ chest, sending small vibrations into Agavni’s back. “Mm, yes you do. And it’s not even snoring; it’s actual purring. Very odd, yet strangely relaxing.”

-“D-Don’t say such ridiculous things! I don’t… purr.”

  Scratching his unshaved chin on the top of her head, Vilkas replied with an amused grin. “Whatever you say… kitten.”

-“You little-!” Agavni attempted to turn around to push him away, but froze immediately when she suddenly felt something hard poke against her bum. “Tell me that’s not your…”

  Vilkas moaned sleepily, pushing himself flush against her smaller frame and nuzzling the crook of her neck; a playful smirk crept over his face when she shuddered at his breath against her smooth skin, realizing that he had found a weak spot on his Shield-Sister. Moving his arm from under the pillow and over her chest, he trapped the small woman in a strong embrace; closing his eyes lustfully, he gently rubbed his body against her.  “It  _ is _ morning…”

-“By the Nine!” Agavni cried out, face flushed in embarrassment, “Let go of me, you pervert!”

  His actions gave the young woman a boost of energy as she struggled violently in his arms; deciding that it was too early to start a fight with his Shield-Sister, the Companion leisurely released Agavni and she jumped out of the bed in a fury. “Did you do anything to me?!” An accusatory tone rang in her question.

  Stretching out in the furs, Vilkas had no shame in showing off the shape of his hard-on from under the sheets. “Does your ass hurt?” He asked with irritation.

-“Just answer my question!”

-“Mm, trust me, if I had fucked you last night, you would know. And you most certainly would have remembered it.”

  Agavni boiled with anger.  _ “Such language!” _ Spinning on her heels, she marched towards the door with a huff.

-“And where do you think you’re going?”

-“Breakfast!” Agavni practically shouted, hand on the doorknob and face as red as a tomato. “I’m not staying here while you take care of…  _ that _ !”

-“Fine. Just-”

-“I know, I know! Stay at the inn and say nothing. I got it.” Without waiting for an answer, she opened the door and furiously slammed it behind her. Vilkas chuckled to himself, having somewhat taken enjoyment out of their situation.

*

  Sprawling out onto the furs and spreading his legs, Vilkas ran a tired hand into his pants and pulled out his sensitive member. As he leaned his head back into the fluffy pillow and closed his eyes, the Companion relaxed as he gave long and slow pumps, taking in the sweet pleasure; he wanted to take his time, to enjoy this moment that was his. Hircine was right about one thing at least: he hadn’t indulged himself in any sexual activities in a long time, and it would perhaps be one of the reasons as to why he was tensed lately.

  Unconsciously squirming under his own touch, his body looked to find and stimulate his softspots; his imagination ran wild as he reminisced of his past intercourses. He thought of the red-head’s amazing tongue work, the warrior’s stamina,  the twins and their…  _ interesting _ foreplay; the memories played out in his mind, yet none seemed to arouse him further. Before he could help himself, Vilkas thought of the last person he had come into contact with: Agavni.  _ “Hmm, wonder how it would be if she were helping me out…” _ Just as his mind started imagining the young woman in bed with him, eyes as lustful and aroused as him, his ministrations stopped abruptly.  _ “Whoa… Hold on there. I can’t fantasize about her, it’s… wrong.” _ The Nord mentally scolded himself.

**-“Oh by all means, continue.”**

_ -“B… Beast?” _

**-“No, it’s your grandmother… Of course it’s me, you idiot!”**

_ -“Ugh… Not again… Such bad timing too.” _

  A cruel chuckle resonated within Vilkas’ mind.  **“What did you expect, boy? That I’d just** **_vanish_ ** **like that?”** The Beast grinned wickedly.  **“Though you completely ruined yesterday’s hunt for me, I admit that this morning was certainly interesting. She had such supple breasts~”**

_ -“You…” _

**-“And the way her body reacted… Trembling at a small breath of air on her neck… She’s quite sensitive, isn’t she? Mm, what fun we would have had with her.”**

  Vilkas bore his teeth viciously, growling mentally at the lustful creature.  _ “You will not be touching her!” _

**-“You say that, but you seemed to be going on an interesting tangent earlier. I don’t blame you however; she would certainly be quite an experience~”**

_ -“What are you hinting at, Beast?” _

**-“Just close your eyes and keep imagining her. Think of those soft breasts, wide hips… Her body being yours to do with as you please~”**

_ -“Silence! I will do no such thing!” _

  A sharp ringing sounded in his ears, like claws scraping against a silver plate, warning him and reminding him of the power that the creature held over him.  **“If you don’t want me to kill her, then you will do exactly that.”** The Beast threatened with a malicious growl; Vilkas grimaced in pain as the monster within scratched at his mind in a torturously slow attack.  **“Master may have forbidden you to kill her, but you can’t stop me from disobeying his order for I fear not of the consequences. After all, if he executes you, I will roam free in the Hunting Grounds at Hircine’s side; so if you want to keep your precious life, you will close your fucking eyes and let me enjoy myself. You owe me for having ruined yesterday for me.”**

  The cursed entity was right; it wouldn’t lose anything if Vilkas died. In fact, it would acquire its freedom; it would roam Hircine’s plane, hunting and murdering prey to its heart’s content. It held strong dominance over Vilkas, especially now that the creature was horny and pissed.

  Defeated, the Companion hesitantly shut his eyes; almost immediately, the Beast fetched Agavni’s image from his memories.  **“Now, keep masturbating.”** The order was simple, harsh and it warned of the Beast’s thinning patience.

  His guilt towards his Shield-Sister increased as he continue to stroke his shaft to the thoughts of the young woman pleasuring him, thoughts that the Beast was forcing him to visualize.  **“Yes, just like that. Aah~ I could just imagine the whelp on her hands and knees, between your legs, tits out… Ngh~”** Vilkas’ jaw clenched tightly as he grinded his teeth together, feeling the Beast slowly possess his being; the creature growled and moaned within his head, as if Vilkas’ physical pleasure was connected to it. Despite disapproving of this situation, the Nord hardened at the Beast’s rough treatment and soon enough found himself subtly thrusting into his own hand.

  A scenario played out unwillingly in Vilkas’ mind, the Beast’s fantasies running wild as it pleasured itself within the Companion's vessel: Agavni, timid and inexperienced, slowly grasped his cock and started caressing him, her touches gentle, almost as ghostly as the dream itself. He observed her body language as her big blue eyes bore in his silver ones, a lustful gaze dancing on the virgin’s features as her legs pressed together in an attempt to add fiction to her own growing arousal.

  Pressing his free hand over his feverish forehead, the Nord harshly bit down his bottom lip, attempting to keep quiet the moans in the back of his throat. “Fuck…” He sighed out, his labored breathing turning heavy and shallow; the Beast was getting hungry, impatient… It wanted more than just a hand around Vilkas’ shaft. It wanted  _ Agavni _ .

  Vilkas could feel the Beast’s deep desire to violently tear her clothes off, kiss her, taste her, bite her, to mark its prey; it wanted to reach untouched parts of her, making her writhe beneath the Nord, moaning out his name in a silent whimper as tears of ecstasy rolled down her cheeks. And even after she was done, it would continue to fuck her until she no longer had the strength to keep herself up; she’d be its plaything, its toy, and it wouldn’t go easy on her, careless if it broke her.

-“No… S… Stop…” Vilkas’ voice quavered as he struggled to keep his animalistic lust under control, unable to accept the idea of raping his poor Shield-Sister. No. He wasn’t going to let the sadistic monster get near her, and even less touch her. Especially since he was going to pass the curse onto her at Hircine’s demand.

  His grip tightening dangerously around his weeping member, Vilkas’ body shook violently as he fought back the Beast’s influence.

**-“Argh!! What the fuck?! Loosen the grip, boy! Unless you wish to permanently damage yourself!”** The Beast temporarily released its hold over its host, allowing the Companion to regain his composure.  **“Tsk! Can’t have any fun for more than two minutes with you…”**

_ -“Your… fault.” _ Vilkas accused with a growl, looking down with a grimace to inspect his shaft; it hurt and there were some red marks over the sensitive flesh, but there was nothing serious. He sighed out in relief. “Too close…”

**-“Are you done, princess? Can we carry on?”** The creature questioned mockingly, an aggravated tone lurking in its deep voice as it tapped its claws impatiently within the Companion’s mind.

_ -“Fuck you, you piece of shit!” _ Vilkas retorted harshly, earning immediately a sharp pain to the right side of his brain.

**-“Don’t test me,** **_boy_ ** **.”** It warned as it continued to sink its teeth into its host's mentality; Vilkas held back the urge to howl in pain, waiting for the creature to release its aggressive hold on him.  **“So stubborn, such an annoyance. You deserved every scar Hircine gave you.”**

  Realizing that he wasn’t going to be released anytime soon, Vilkas gently grabbed once again his now aching manhood and continued his stimulation; it certainly distracted the Beast as it quickly returned to its lustful state.  **“Don’t think that you’ve won, whelp…”** It warned with a low moan, resuming its fantasies. **“You know… I bet her stroking would be too gentle. Mm, those lips… She probably wouldn’t be able to take your length completely into her mouth, but by Hircine, I bet you her tongue certainly knows how to work miracles~”** A knot tightened in Vilkas’ stomach as he pumped himself faster and harder, desperately ushering a climax in hopes of quickly ending the Beast’s sadistic fun.

  Pushing himself to sit upright, the Companion accelerated his ministrations, ignoring the numbing ache that started spreading within the muscles of his right arm; biting down on his bottom lip, he tried distracting himself from the pain he was causing in his nether region.

  Heat and pressure pooled in the pit of his stomach until it finally ruptured, sending Vilkas’ body into a violent spasm as he came hard; doubling over himself, his free hand clasped over his mouth to silence the deep and stifled groan that escaped his throat. He quivered for a few seconds, the warm and sticky results of his activity splattering over his bare abdomen and leaking down onto his exhausted hand.

  His large body collapsed back into the furs heavily, his vision having temporarily turned dark as a wave of relief and satisfaction washed over him. He had never felt this way before and was far too mentally drained to think it through. Agavni… He didn’t know what to do anymore, how to act; he wouldn’t be able to look at her the same way anymore without feeling a sense of guilt.

  Coming down from his high, his tensed muscles slowly relaxed as he felt himself sink into the warm sheets, the stringy material clinging to the sweat of his body.  **“How shameful~”** The Beast chuckled darkly.  **“Fantasizing of your Shield-Sister like that.”**

_ -“Don’t. You. Fucking. Dare.” _

  A cruel laughter echoed in Vilkas' mind, laughing at the authority it held over the Companion.  **“Or** **_what_ ** **? You can’t do anything to me. You’re** **_my_ ** **puppet and even Hircine won’t be able to stop me if you keep pissing me off like this. You’d do best to remember this well…”**


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to give you my biggest thanks, dear readers, for your amazing patience as this chapter took quite a while to write! You're all amazing! <3  
> For those who don't know and who would be interested, I have a Tumblr with the same username; there you can find updates, art and some asks on A Pup Amongst Wolves ^^

**-“Would you just stop thinking about it?”** No response from its host. **“Come on, tell me you didn’t enjoy it at least one bit…”**

  That was exactly it however; no matter how much Vilkas attempted to deny it, he felt that a part of him had actually taken pleasure in the Beast’s dirty fantasies. Maybe it was his recent lack of intercourse or perhaps the cursed blood running through his veins that agitated him, he didn’t know…

  Though what troubled his mind most was the thought of those dark desires one day clouding his senses and eventually leading him to doing the unforgivable to his innocent Shield-Sister. _“I… should keep a distance from her; Gods forbid I end up raping her. I’d never forgive myself if I did such a cruel thing.”_

  Peeking over his shoulder, he turned his attention to the lone young woman seated at one of the inn’s tables, quietly ingesting the breakfast she had purchased; his tormented conscience reminisced on the unforgettable night, on what had been done and said, silently evaluating his actions.

  He wasn’t sorry for having carried Agavni’s sleeping form beside him in bed and having shared his lycanthropic heat when she had started shivering in the middle of the night; his excuse was to keep the young woman from waking up sick the next morning, but in reality his guilty conscience had kept him from falling asleep in the warm bed with the knowledge that his Shield-Sister was freezing on the chair she rested upon.

  Groping her sensuous breasts, breathing down on her sensitive neck, calling her ‘kitten’… Those were simply his ways of teasing her, nothing more. Vilkas suddenly found himself thinking back on his earlier reverie and was unable to abstain his plagued thoughts from wondering what Agavni looked like under her light clothes, what the touch of her naked body felt like, tasted like, or what a moan of his name sounded like on her lips as he bedded her…

  Vilkas shook his head in shame, perishing the unclean thoughts. _“This is wrong… So, so wrong.”_ Feeling as though he had disrespected her more than he should have, the Nord believed that his first course of action would be to offer Agavni an apology. _“It’s the least I owe her…”_

-“What’ll you be having, lad?” The innkeeper’s voice pulled him from his daydream, seemingly a lot calmer around the Companion compared to last night; Vilkas guessed that the man was simply content that they would be leaving the Frozen Hearth within the next hour.

  The small inn didn’t have much left in stock, probably didn’t have enough gold to keep the place running smoothly; not that Vilkas cared. He wasn’t too picky with his food.

  Grabbing a nice green apple, he paid up and made his way towards Agavni’s table, juggling nervously his food between his hands. **“What are you going to say, hmm? Sorry I thought of you while masturbating? That will certainly earn you her forgiveness…”**

  Sitting down awkwardly and ever-so slowly beside the young woman, Vilkas fought back the urge to hiss in pain at his still-aching crotch, manspreading to avoid pressing onto the sore member. Leaning back against the table with a relieved sigh, the Nord glanced down at Agavni, noting what she was eating. “A sweetroll isn’t breakfast.”

-“They don’t have much in stock…” She replied quietly, continuing to munch on the small pieces of sweet pastry she ripped apart; her heart jumped in surprise when a loud crunch resonated beside her. Glancing up at the chewing Companion in confusion, Agavni found him offering her a bite out of his apple; she shook her head, turning away with an obvious disgust. “N-No thank you.”

  Vilkas slumped in his seat, quickly understanding her concern. “Oh come on… I washed my hands after I jerked off.”

  The young woman shook her head once more, continuing to eat her so-called breakfast in discomfort. “I don’t want it.”

-“I swear there’s no icing on the apple…”

-“Icing…?” It took a few seconds for Agavni to catch on and when she did, she hid her face in the palm of her hand as a light pink hue crept over her heated cheeks. “For the love of Mara…”

-“What? You’d rather I said ‘semen'? Or ‘cum' perhaps?”

  A small hand promptly clasped over Vilkas’ mouth as baby blue eyes nervously pierced into his silver ones with a flustered scold. “Shush! Don’t say such words in front of others!”

  The Beast snickered in the Nord’s mind, as if it had been holding back its laughter for a while and had finally failed to keep it hidden any longer. **“Was this your way of apologizing?”** It chuckled mockingly. **“Deplorable.”**

  Pulling her hand away from his mouth with ease, Vilkas leaned his arms against his knees and fumbled anxiously with the fruit. “I…” This wasn’t the first time that the headstrong man offered his excuses to someone; usually he knew what to say, but this time he seemed to be at a loss for words. _“Shit… This is harder than I thought. I don’t even know where to begin.”_

**-“Haha, keep going. I find this is quite entertaining.”**

  Exhaling sharply, Vilkas mustered up his courage and spoke whatever came to mind first. “I’m… sorry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t… um… have teased you like that this morning. And even less should I have been touching you so…”

-“Inappropriately?” Agavni suggested, noticing that he was having trouble finding his terms.

-“Inappropriately… Yeah. And I know I said this before, but…” He wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to bring up the subject again, but did nonetheless. “I’m really sorry for what I said about your parents.”

  The young mage’s mouth hung slightly agape, his amends slowly sinking in; turning away from him, she furrowed her brows in confusion. She couldn’t believe it: Vilkas had acknowledged that he had mistreated her and was actually apologizing, even if it wasn’t the best of apologies. “I see.” She spoke quietly in disbelief.

  When no further response was given, Vilkas cleared his throat to interrupt the unnerving silence between them. “Well, uh… I guess I’ll go put on my armor and we’ll be on our way. Don’t want to make Kodlak wait too long.”

  Just as he was about to rise to his feet, Agavni finally spoke, her voice a soft and comforting call. “I appreciate it. I mean… I’m still uneasy about the whole thing, but I don’t want to stay upset forever. I believe that things can turn for the better between us.”

  Vilkas glanced down at the small and timid hand that was then offered to him. “Let’s… put this past us. I think we can be good friends if we give each other another chance.”

 **-“She certainly has an interesting view on things…”** Admitted the Beast, much to Vilkas’ surprise.

  The Companion froze in place for a few seconds, taken aback by her offer; he wasn’t used to this kind of diplomatic resolution. Not that he was complaining…

  Wishing to avoid confusing his surprised state with a denial of Agavni’s suggestion, the Nord calmly pressed his wrist into her hand, curling his calloused fingers around her own smaller wrist in a firm handshake. A gleam danced in the young woman’s eyes, one that Vilkas hadn’t seen before; she seemed… enthusiastic, as if she was finally getting through the rough Companion’s tough exterior.

  However her smile was short-lived when Vilkas noticed her eyes unexpectedly move down to the injury on his neck, concern and pity plastering over her gentle features; clearing his throat and rubbing his hand sheepishly against the blood-stained wraps, the Companion broke away from her gaze. “Pay no attention to it. I’ll be fine.” As a Companion, Vilkas often dealt with his physical damages on his own; growing up, he was taught to be tenacious and self-sufficient; whining and complaining weren’t options.

-“No, you won’t.” She rose to her feet and pulled out her coin purse, counting the pieces of gold that remained. “That could easily get infected; and with all due respect, you didn’t really do a good job at cleaning it last night.”

  The clinking of Septims jiggled within her palm as she counted quietly, glancing up at the ceiling as she searched through her memories. “Do you know how much a blue mountain flower would cost?”

**-“Does it look like we buy flowers…?”**

  Vilkas dismissed the Beast’s aggravated voice, having had enough of the creature affecting his temper. “I don’t, sorry… Why do you ask?”

-“We’ll be needing some to clean out your wounds, and some wheat if they have any.” The Companion stopped munching on his apple, the meaning of his Shield-Sister’s words slowly dawning on him: Agavni was willing to treat his injuries.

-“W-Wait, that won’t be necess-” Before Vilkas had a chance to stop her, the young woman hurried to the innkeeper and quietly asked to see the items for sale.

  Glancing down at the table, the Companion noted that Agavni hadn’t finished her sweetroll.

*

 **-“We don’t** **_need_ ** **her aid; your body can regenerate by itself. Besides, you’ve endured worse injuries caused by Lord Hircine.”**

  The thought of leaving himself at the hands of his Shield-Sister made Vilkas slightly uneasy as he wished to keep up his strict demeanor despite the injuries. He already knew that Agavni’s magic wouldn’t heal his wounds, but he held back this information from her; he wanted to know what it felt like to be cared for, to be nursed…

  Settling upon the edge of the bed after refusing to seat himself on the oh-so-unholy chair, the Nord pressed his hand over his growing headache. _“I have my reasons for feeling uneasy with the thought of her touching me. What are_ you _so nervous about?”_

**-“I’m not nervous! We just don’t need her to baby us! We’re warriors, hunters… We can deal with petty injuries by ourselves.”**

  Ignoring the Beast’s complaining, Vilkas pushed the voice back into a corner of his mind and let the young mage do her work without interruption.

  Agavni’s hands held nothing but gentleness when she unwrapped the untidy fabric around Vilkas’ neck, watching with a slight grimace as it slowly peeled from the Companion’s dried wounds, parts of the cloth refusing to easily let go of his exposed flesh. “What did this to you? It doesn’t look like any animal bite I’ve ever seen.”

-“A wolf…” Lied Vilkas.

  Agavni stared up with a quirked eyebrow. “That… doesn’t look like a wolf’s bite…”

-“A werewolf…” The Companion corrected with yet another lie.

-“I see.” Squinting with a scowl, she ghosted her fingers over the swollen lacerations. “By the Nine, I don’t know who did this to you, but whoever it was seemed to have just… _clamped down_ around your throat. Must’ve been painful.”

-“It’s a thing predators do, to subdue another being.” He refrained from adding that he had almost done the same thing to her at the College during both of their encounters. _“She certainly wouldn’t have survived if I did…”_

  Before proceeding with the treatment, Agavni rubbed the palms of her hands together for a few seconds, earning a confused look from the Companion. “Cold hands.” She explained shyly. “Don’t want to make it uncomfortable for you.”

  Vilkas rolled his eyes. “Pff! It doesn’t bother me. Just do it.”

  Agavni shrugged and continued with pressing her hands against his wounds, examining the severity of the cuts; Vilkas jumped slightly upon contact, causing the young woman to bit down on her bottom lip in an attempt to hide the smile that threatened to tug at her lips. “Still doesn’t bother you?”

-“What in Oblivion! I know Skyrim’s cold, but that’s just not normal!” A shiver ran down the Nord’s spine as Agavni inspected each lesion. “What are you? A lizard?”

  The young woman simply smiled. Vilkas wasn’t certain if she found his reaction entertaining or perhaps if she was hiding something from him. _“Hmm, now that he mentions it, I wonder if the coldness of my hands has anything to do with being Dragonborn.”_ Agavni thought to herself. _“Oh well, I’m not going to reveal myself to him just to find that out…”_

  After properly cleansing his injuries, the young woman carefully applied the ointment that she had concocted. “Am I hurting you?” She questioned worriedly. Vilkas quietly shook his head. “Are my hands bothering you?”

  Vilkas raised a confused brow. “No. Nothing’s bothering me.”

-“It’s just that, you seem more tense than before. I figured I was harming you.”

-“I’m fine.” The Nord reassured. “You’re very gentle, it’s nice.” The words left the Companion’s mouth before he could stop himself; it was only when Agavni glanced up at him with an appreciative smile that he realized what he had said. “I-I mean… uh…”

 **-“Smooth.”** Smirked the Beast, slowly applauding at its host’s awkwardness. **“Real smooth.”**

  Sighing in defeat, Vilkas decided to shut his mouth to avoid further embarrassment. Agavni put away the salve and slowly focused her magic into the palms of her hands, causing a light golden glow to envelop her limbs. “You’ll feel a slight, uh, tingling.” As she pressed the healing magic onto Vilkas’ flesh, a quiet shiver ran down the Companion’s spine, sending goosebumps over his arms; he slowly felt himself melting under the regenerative touch.

-“It’s… not healing.” Agavni muttered with a frown, glancing at her hands confusedly as if the issue came from her magic. Little did she know, an injury from a Daedric Prince was difficult to heal, even coming close to being impossible; this time she pressed her hands around his throat, exhausting the reserves of her magicka. Vilkas watched in silence as she put her all in repairing the physical damage caused to his being, her neatly manicured brows creasing and her tongue slightly sticking out of her mouth as she concentrated on her task. “That’s very strange…”

  Pressing her fingers lightly around the wound, Agavni leaned in to inspect the effects of the balm. Vilkas’ muscles tensed as his hypersensitive nose caught a whiff of Agavni’s odor; he couldn’t decipher it, but she smelled like a mixture of flowers and pastries. Fragrant and sweet. _“How did I not notice this before?”_ The Companion questioned, closing his eyes as he found himself enjoying her scent.

**-“Speaking of scents, did you find a way to place your own scent on her?”**

  Snapping back to reality, the Nord knew that he had been forgetting something. _“My own scent?”_

**-“In the name of Oblivion! Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten that Lord Hircine wanted you to place your scent on her! He wants to track her down, remember? He’s known your scent for years now; with it placed on the whelp, the Prince will find her a lot quicker.”**

  Vilkas cursed at himself internally, having completely forgotten his assignment; damn, now he felt worse than before. **“Look at it this way: you’re slowly gaining her trust. Eventually, she’ll let down her guard around you. When comes the time to turn her into a werewolf, just approach her from behind with the palm of your hand slit, and just clamp it down onto her mouth, make her drink your blood from the source.”**

_-“You want me to force it onto her?”_

**-“You have no choice.** **_She_ ** **has no choice. Either she accepts Lord Hircine’s gift or you force it down her throat. And something tells me that she won’t be willing to go through with the transformation. So the plan is obvious.”**

_-“What… What do you think he’ll do to her? When he tracks her down I mean…”_

**-“Don’t know, don’t care. Surely isn’t my problem. Why are you even concerning yourself with what he’s planning for her? You can’t do anything about it; once Lord Hircine sets his mind on something, there’s no stopping him without getting yourself involved in his Daedric affairs.”**

  A light handclap suddenly pulled Vilkas from his thoughts. “And done!” Agavni announced happily. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t heal it; there must be some form of magic preventing me from doing so. But it’s alright, there shouldn’t be any infections or much pain with the ointment that I made. Only downside, in my opinion, is that you’ll be stuck with a few scars around your neck.”

  Curiously pressing his hand at his neck, he felt a neatly tied gauze, clean and dry. “Thank you.” He muttered shyly, earning him a sweet smile and an acknowledging nod from the young woman.

 _-“I must admit, whatever she made is taking away that pulsing ache.”_ He commented in surprise as he watched Agavni clean up the rest of the ingredients and readying herself to leave for Whiterun.

  The Companion could feel a perverted grin spreading over the Beast’s face, as it teasingly tapped on Vilkas’ shoulder and questioned with a purr. **“Think she’d be willing to heal your dick?”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to OmniGamer and Skitamine for helping and inspiring me for this chapter! ^^


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to OmniGamer for helping me out with this chapter! <3

-“Are you alright?” The young woman gave Vilkas' question a small nod: an obvious lie. “Are you sure?”

-“Mhm…” Agavni sounded through closed lips.

  Her nervousness was badly hidden from Vilkas; as she bit the tip of her fingernails, he could see the way her hands were shaking, hear her heart pacing faster and faster the closer they got to Jorrvaskr… Having noticed the sudden paleness of her skin, he stuck by the anxious woman’s side out of fear that she might faint without warning.

  The Companion had mistaken her quietness during their long and silent ride back to Whiterun in Bjorlam's carriage as a part of her nature; but now that they stood before the grand doors of Jorrvaskr, he understood that she had been fearful of her return to the headquarters during the entirety of the journey. The Nord couldn’t help but feel pity for the petite woman; in an attempt to comfort her with a pat on the shoulder, he muttered quietly. “You’ll be alright.” She glanced up at him from the corner of her big eyes and forced a small smile, mostly as a sign of having heard his words. At least Vilkas tried…

 _-“I’m walking into a wolves’ den…”_ Agavni’s mind quivered as a tight knot formed in her throat; swallowing hard, she fought back the bile that threatened to climb out of her throat. _“If Mother saw me getting into such troubles… Gods, please give me courage.”_

  The thought of the unknown beyond the large doors frightened Agavni as she was uncertain of what to expect. Would the Companions truly show her mercy for knowing their secret? And should they spare her life, there was still the matter of speaking to Farkas. The young woman had realized that she hadn’t given much thought to the fact that she would see him again and of what should be said. With what happened between her and Vilkas, the young mage had completely forgotten about his twin brother, the very reason that she had run away from the guild.

  Just as the bulky Nord reached for the hefty doors, a gentle hand grasped his plated armor, halting his process midway; glancing back questioningly, the Companion was met with Agavni’s pleading and frightened baby blue eyes. She looked like a hurt puppy and the tough man’s chest tightened as he felt a sudden urge to bring her back to her safe haven, to give her the safety and comfort she was evidently asking for. “With all due respect,” she started faintly, “I’d… I’d rather not meet with him inside.”

-“He’s not going to hurt you.” Vilkas reassured, attempting to cast away the young woman’s concern.

  Agavni hung her head, clearly unconvinced. “I only ask to see him out here. Please, Vilkas. Surely I’m not asking for much.”

  Giving a slow nod, Vilkas pressed his armored hand over her’s in reassurance. “Wait by the tree.” He instructed softly. “I’ll fetch him for you.”

  His Shield-Sister climbed back down the stairs, all the way to the new Gildergreen tree and settled herself onto a wooden bench; though she waited for what seemed to be an eternity for Kodlak to meet her, she used this time to contemplate whether she wished to remain with the Companions or continue her life away from the followers of a Daedric Prince.

*

-“We appreciate it.” A voice spoke beside her, pulling the young woman from her wandering thoughts.

  Agavni glanced up confusedly at the city guard who she had failed to notice. “Pardon?”

-“The tree,” he specified, “we appreciate that you restored it for us.”

  The young woman simply smiled and nodded, watching the city guard turn away and continue his patrol. Little did the guard know, the Dragonborn hadn’t given the tree a new life for the townsfolk but for the tree itself. _“Hypocrites…”_ Her mind accused bitterly before she could stop herself. She didn’t want to think badly of the people of Whiterun, hated that her mind had developed this sort of opinion on them; to her, most were good people that she'd help in a heartbeat were they in need of assistance.

  But the young woman found herself aggravated every time one would praise the beauty and grandness of the Gildergreen. _“They claimed to love the tree, yet when it needed them most, they didn't lift a finger to help it.”_ Danica Pure-Spring, priestess of Kynareth, was busy tending to the wounded and sick at the temple; Agavni understood the woman's inability to journey off in search for a remedy for the tree of Whiterun. But what of the other pilgrims? What of the followers of Kynareth?

  Retrieving Nettlebane from the vicious Hagravens who guarded the sacrificial dagger, which now remained under lock and key in a chest under Agavni's bed, had been challenging, especially on her own; but the journey to the Eldergleam sanctuary, home of the oldest living thing in Skyrim and mother of the Gildergreen, had been far from perilous.

  Though Danica Pure-Spring wished Nettlebane to be used on the Eldergleam to steal its sap and then to use the acquired sap to restore the Gildergreen, the followers of Kynareth within the holy sanctuary helped Agavni avoid the possible fury of the Goddess by offering Kynareth a simple prayer: a new sapling which would replace its lifeless forebear in Whiterun. The Dragonborn believed that anyone could have taken this simple task upon themselves... 

  Kneeling on the bench and leaning over the backrest, Agavni reached over to gently take hold of a leaf. “I’ll take care of you,” she promised softly, “You’ll grow just as strong as your predecessor. And should you ever fall ill, I’ll waste no time in finding you a cure.”

-“You speak to the Gildergreen, Agavni?”

  Bashfully glancing over her shoulder, the young mage’s arms suddenly flailed in search of support when she nearly toppled over the bench in front of the Harbinger of the Companions. “U-Uh… I…”

-“No need to be timid about it.” Kodlak calmed her, paying no interest to her sudden unbalanced condition; he settled himself upon the bench beside the small woman as she arranged herself. “I am glad that you’ve returned.”

 _-"I didn't really have a choice..."_ The young woman's mind muttered with a pout as she thought back of last night's disputes and unsettling brawls with Vilkas.

-“I… I’m sorry for leaving.” Agavni started, voice stuttering as she nervously twiddled her thumbs. “What happened at Dustman’s Cairn, I… I didn’t know what to think; I was too scared.  My first instinct was to just run…” She admitted shamefully.

  A strong hand pressed at her back, its weight bringing Agavni a strange comfort. “I understand, little one. A survival instinct is nothing to be ashamed of, for it can bring you a long way in life; but please believe me when I say that we do not wish to cause you harm. The ones who attacked in the cairn, the _Silver Hand_ , they hunt and kill our kind, no matter what's in our heart. _They_ are the enemy, not us. Farkas may have lost control of himself in the cairn, but he was merely protecting both of you.”

  Despite that the Dragonborn believed the old man’s words, she still didn’t see why Farkas’ opponents needed to be massacred the way they had been. Was mercy not an option for them? Or at least a quick kill instead of a long and painful death? _“Easier said than done, Aggy,”_ Agavni’s mind corrected her, _“you don’t know what the Companions have been through, what pain or suffering these ‘Silver Hands’ might have caused them. If the ones you loved were harmed, you probably wouldn’t show your enemies any mercy either…”_

  The young woman shook her head, perishing her thoughts and praying to the Gods that she would never have to face such sorrow. “I understand. Kodlak…” After having reflected for quite a while, Agavni had finally taken a decision concerning her future with the Companions. “Would you… Would the Companions still be willing to keep me?”

  Her timid question earned an amiable smile from the elder; quietly, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled the smaller frame against his cold armor. “You’re part of the family, Agavni; the doors of Jorrvaskr will always be open for you.”

  Kodlak's words pulled at the young woman's heartstrings as his hug suddenly brought back old memories.  _"_ _He feels just like him…”_  Agavni's mind whispered in disbelief, _“To sound and nearly look like him is one thing, but to also have his touch…”_

  Though the Harbinger of the Companions wasn’t her father, he certainly reminded the young woman of the man who had disappeared from her life; shutting her eyes, she welcomed his embrace and for a moment felt her long-lost father’s own arms around her being. It brought her a warmth and comfort than she had been longing for years, one that seemed to protect her from the rest of the world, casting away all her doubts and fears. If only the moment would last...

-“Come with me,” Kodlak ordered softly as he rose to his feet, offering a hand to Agavni, “there’s someone who wishes to speak with you.”

  The young woman's nervousness returned as she slowly followed the Harbinger towards Jorrvaskr; she had a feeling who the person in question might be.

*

  There he was, a robust man seated underneath the Skyforge on his own like an abandoned puppy; though his expression seemed to remain neutral as he gazed off into the distance, there was an obvious form of misery lingering in his icy blue eyes. Agavni wanted to talk to him, she really did; but she had no idea what to tell Farkas.

-“He’s been restless since yesterday’s… incident.” Kodlak informed quietly. Giving Agavni’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, the old man requested, “I would appreciate it if you put his mind at ease. Please speak with him.”

  The young woman remained silent. Mind and body seemingly no longer in sync, she walked over to Farkas and awkwardly found herself standing before the twin Companion, uncertain as to what he would want to hear.

  Sensing a new presence, Farkas glanced up curiously, his warpainted eyes connecting with her’s; they glimmered with surprise as he rose to his feet, a pure smile etching over his face. “Agavni.”

-“Farkas.” The young woman cleared her throat, anxiously casting her gaze to the ground.

-“They found you!”

  Agavni sheepishly scratched the back of her head. “Apparently I wasn’t that difficult to find.”

-"Haha, that's only because Vilkas was sent out to find you. He's smart. Has a good nose too." Farkas chuckled lowly, glancing over at the patio and giving his twin an appreciative wave; Vilkas gave his brother an acknowledging nod, then urged the man's attention back to Agavni with a second motion of the head.

-"Listen, Farkas... About what happened at-"

-"I'm sorry." Not that it bothered her, but Agavni hadn't expected an interruption, even less an apology; surprised, she tilted her head up at the tall Nord only to be met with Farkas' heartbreaking expression. "I'm so sorry, Aggy."

  The young woman suddenly felt her heart throb, as if someone were attempting to crush the organ within their hand; she wanted to hug the man, to erase the painful look on his face and replace it with the adorable grin he bore earlier. “It’s alright, Farkas. I just… never thought I’d see a werewolf in my entire life, never even dreamed of it." She reassured with a laugh, attempting to lighten the atmosphere between them. "When I saw you transform... then those Silver Hands..."

-“I didn’t mean to scare you off like that. I really didn't.” His gruff voice came out a near whisper as he hung his head shamefully.

  Hesitantly, Agavni reached a hand up towards Farkas and laid it atop of his head, giving his thick yet soft brown hair a gentle pat; her gesture had certainly taken the large man by surprise, yet he seemed to enjoy it and relax under her touch when he slowly shut his eyes. “I know. "The young woman reassured gently. "I'm sorry I ran from you, sorry to have upset you like this.”

-"It's ok," Farkas tenderly smiled down at Agavni, his usually joyful humor quick to return, "I'm not upset with you."

  Shyly retreating her hand with a thankful expression tugging at her lips, Agavni decided to change the subject and leave the bloody memories of Dustman's Cairn behind. “Since we’ll be spending more time around each other as Shield-Brother and Sister, would you mind telling me a bit about werewolves? There’s only so much that books can teach.”

  A vibrant and hopeful grin suddenly stretched over Farkas’ strong features. “You’re staying?”

-“Yeah!” Agavni announced happily, before suddenly realizing that maybe the Nord would have preferred if she had parted from the Companions instead. “W-Well, uh, I had given it some thought and I realized that I really wanted to stay with the Companions, that it was a chance for a new family for me. A-And well, um, Kodlak said that it would be alright if I stayed... Does that bother- I mean… Are you... ok with that?”

  Before she knew it, Farkas had wrapped his powerful arms around her smaller frame, pinning her arms against her body as he swiftly lifted her off the ground. A small yelp escaped her lips at the suddenness of his action, her lungs struggling for air from the tightness of the strong Companion's bear hug. As adorable as Farkas was being, Agavni quickly felt herself lacking oxygen. “I’m glad you’re staying.” The good-natured man stated, pressing his cheeks against her's with a quiet purr.

*

-“All's well that ends well.” Smiled Kodlak as he observed the young woman bashfully wiggling in Farkas' arms.

-“Mm…” Vilkas grunted, crossing his arms over his chest and turning to lean onto the patio support, eyes cast elsewhere.

  The Nord's attitude didn't go unnoticed. “Is everything alright, Vilkas?”

-“Everything’s fine.”

  Kodlak wasn’t buying it. “What’s the matter, son? Did something happen?” The Harbinger knew Vilkas all-too-well; though the headstrong man shook his head and denied the questions, it was obvious that something was bothering him. “Well if you ever change your mind and decide to share the truth with me, you know where to find me.”

  With a strong pat on Vilkas’ arm, the old man turned and headed back into the halls of Jorrvaskr. _“I’m sorry, Kodlak,_ ” The Companion thought as his gaze followed said man, _“I know how righteous you are, and I know that you’d defend Agavni were you to find out about Hircine’s interest in her. I also know that he’d end your life if you were to get in his way and I just… can’t let that happen.”_

**-“You sure you're not just jealous?"**

_-"Jealous of what?"_

**-"Of Farkas getting such attention from the whelp."** Snickered mockingly the Beast.

  A flustered blush rushed to Vilkas' cheeks as he hissed in denial. _"Don't kid yourself! I've no interest for her."_

**-"Of course you don't..."**

  Sighing, the Companion rolled his eyes with aggravation. _“What is it you want, Beast?”_

  The creature crossed its arms proudly and grinned smugly at its host. **“Unlike you, I'm actually thinking of ways of accomplishing Lord Hircine's demands instead of brooding from them. I was listening to what the whelp was saying and found that she has a weakness that you can use to your advantage.”** A dark chuckle resonated within the Nord's ears. **“The whelp lacks knowledge on werewolves; she doesn’t know of our temper, our habits, our instincts…”**

_-“What exactly are you proposing?”_

  Its voice suddenly turned into a whisper, low and almost seducing. **“Lie to her, Vilkas. Come up with a reason to bite her. You’ve noticed it just as I have: she’s naive, she trusts others too easily. Anything you tell her, she'll most likely believe you. You'll have to do this soon however, before she acquires too much knowledge.”** With an enthusiastic growl, Beast concluded. **“My suggestion, is that you do so tonight; Lord Hircine can only wait for so long."**


	13. ***NSFW+NON-CON***

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to OmniGamer for giving this chapter a read and helping me with the editing! <3

_-“You really think she’ll let me bite her?”_

**-“If you’re convincing enough, yes. Of course there’s always the option of leaving your scent on the whelp by fucking her…”**

  Vilkas sat at the edge of the Skyforge, the heat of its recently extinguished fires burning into his clothed back; Masser, the biggest of Nirn’s dual moons, almost immediately called out to him. The crescent moon pulled the lycanthrope's gaze towards its grand beauty among the grey clouds. The shrilling song of a nearby cricket filling in the silence of the chilly night, Vilkas held back the howl that threatened to escape from his curled lips. Quickly breaking contact with the moon's tantalizing call, the Nord returned to the discussion at hand. _“Forget it… I’m not letting you touch her.”_

**-“You’ll be doing the deed, Vilkas, not I.”**

_-“I don’t believe that for one second,”_ the headstrong man reciprocated, crossing his bare arms defensively over his broad chest, _“you’d find a way to break through my mind during the intercourse and take over my body. Gods know what you’d do to her then…”_

  The Beast didn't bother to deny the harsh accusation. **"Fine, I admit it; given the chance, I'd fuck the virgin like there's no tomorrow."** The dark creature let out a long sigh, somewhat disappointed that its host didn’t prefer a route that, in its bestial mind, seemed much more pleasurable and satisfying. **"I'll be gentle with her if that calms you down."**

 _-"Ha! Gentle? You don't even know the meaning of the word..."_ Vilkas scoffed.

- **“Tsk! Fine! Then stop worrying so much. You’re good with words, just come up with some bullshit to feed her.”**

-“Vilkas?” A soft voice calling out interrupted the mental conversation between the two. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” Agavni stood a few feet away from him, clutching a red cloak loosely over her shoulders and holding a small orb of light within the palm of her free hand, illuminating the night with a faint glow.

-“No, it’s fine,” the large man politely raised to his feet, “thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”

  The young mage smiled up at her Shield-Brother. “No biggie. Something seemed to be bothering you when you asked me; I just couldn’t say ‘no'.”

  Vilkas diverted his eyes from her, nervously searching for his words. “So, umm… Everything seems good again between you and my brother.”

  Agavni cautiously tapped the forge’s stone, examining its temperature before deeming it safe enough to sit upon; settling herself on its warmth, she set the cloak aside and gave the low of her back a soothing rub. “Yes, though my spine is still aching from that hug; but seeing him smile like that… It’s worth it.”

-“I’m glad.” Vilkas spoke lowly, though he felt as though his words lacked honesty; he was then quick to correct himself when he realized that his statement might have sounded wrong. “I meant about you and Farkas getting along! Not, you know… your, uh, back hurting…”

  The young woman gave a small laugh, her innocent grin sending a pink hue to the Companion’s cheeks; he was thankful that she wouldn't notice his embarrassment in the dark. “I know what you meant, Vilkas.” She assured.

 **-“This is ridiculous…”** The Beast sighed, rolling its eyes in annoyance. **“Just stop beating around the bush, boy! I want some action!”**

-“I…” Vilkas started slowly, his usually silvertongue having once again trouble finding the right words in front of the petite lady. “There’s a reason why I asked you to meet with me.”

  Agavni gave a small nod. “I’m listening.”

-“I have a request to ask of you.”

  The young woman remained quiet, patiently waiting for the Companion to elaborate; when he fell silent and hung his head, she grew concerned. “Are you alright?”

-“Fuck. This is too embarrassing…” Vilkas muttered to himself, swiftly stepping away from the young woman; back turned to Agavni, he frustratingly rubbed his palms against his tired face as he started pacing back and forth. _“I can’t do it! I feel like a dog; it’s too awkward!”_

 **-“Stop being a coward!”** Beast hissed viciously, forcing a sharp pain into Vilkas’ skull, a pain that the Nord fought to hide from the young mage's eyes. **“It’s her life or your’s! Make a choice!”**

  Agavni quirked a confused eyebrow, uncertain of the nature of the Companion’s request. She rose to her feet and approached the large man, placing a comforting hand against his warm back. “Is everything alright, Vilkas? Surely you aren’t asking something bad of me? Why are you stressing out about this?”

**-“Do it, boy, or so help me Gods I’ll fucking murder the bitch before your eyes!!”**

  Fearful of the creature’s honest threat, Vilkas promptly faced Agavni. “No, no! It’s not bad! It’s just… I don’t want you to be afraid of me because of this.”

  Taking a slow step towards the young mage, the Companion seized her shoulders, mindful of his inhuman strength. “There’s no easy way for me to put this. The curse inside me… it… wants to harm you.” His Shield-Sister clearly tensed, disturbed by this troubling revelation; yet, she remained unmoving and patient. “But there is a way that I can calm it.”

-“How?” Agavni questioned.

-“I… need to bite you.”

  Baby blue eyes widening, the small woman took a sudden step away from the Nord. “Bite me? Vilkas, I don’t want to be turned into a werewolf.” She reciprocated with a quiver in her voice.

-“Y-You won’t be transformed, I give you my word!” Vilkas was quick to dismiss her concern.

 **-“Don’t be giving her promises that you can’t keep.”** Chuckled darkly the Beast, reminding its host of the second order Hircine had given him.

-“In order to be transformed, one must drink the blood of a werewolf. The bite will simply put a small… _mark_ on you, one that will show the inner beast that you are to be unharmed.”

-“But… why?” She inquired once more, hurt evident in her words, “Why are you… Why is your beast so hateful towards me? Did I offend it somehow?”

  Vilkas didn’t have a clear answer to her heart wrenching questions, at least not one that would please the young woman… “I… I don’t know. I’m so sorry.” Casting his sterling eyes to the ground, the Nord delivered the final blow to his act. “Please let me do this. I can’t bear the thought of accidentally killing you.”

  The fear that Agavni’s features held was almost immediately replaced with pity. **“We got her.”**

_-“How do you know?”_

**-“Just trust me. She bought your every word.”**

  After a few minutes of hesitation, his Shield-Sister finally spoke up. “Alright. I’ll let you do it.”

  A slow applause sounded in the Companion’s head. **“Well done, Vilkas. Well done.”**

_-“You’re not helping, Beast…”_

  With a thankful nod, Vilkas stepped forward. “Tilt your head.”

-“Eh? Why?”

-“I’ll have easier access to your neck.”

  His casual reply caused Agavni to abruptly press her hands against his broad chest and to distance himself from her smaller being with a short shove. Lifting a confused brow at the sudden maneuver against his torso, Vilkas gave the young mage a questioning stare to which Agavni blurted out in response. “M-My neck?! Can’t you bite my hand instead?”

 _-“Oh right… Her neck is sensitive…”_ The Companion had forgotten this detail.

**-“Well if you want to amplify the effect, you’d do best to stick with the neck. Lord Hircine's already pissed with you as it is, don’t worsen your situation by doing a sloppy job. Stick to the neck.”**

-“No can do,” the Companion stated blankly, “it’s got to be the neck if we want to calm the curse.”

-“B-But don’t werewolves bite the neck of another to mark them as their mate?”

  It took a while for Vilkas' brain to process her words, and when he did, a hearty laughter escaped his throat. “Hahaha! Oh that’s too good! You silly girl, they don’t bite the neck directly; they bite the junction between the neck and shoulder enough to pierce the skin. I’ll just give a small nibble, nothing more. Besides, even if I wanted you as my mate I’d ask before marking you as mine.” Agavni seemed once again hesitant, but Vilkas knew exactly how to turn the tide. “The beast had already gotten its hands on you once. Don’t you remember what happened in your room at the College?”

-“That… was the beast?” Agavni remembered all-too-well the bone-crushing grip on her jaw and the insane look on Vilkas’ face; she ran her hand along her jaw absentmindedly. “I didn’t enjoy that. Not one bit…”

  Vilkas nodded. “I was barely able to hold the creature back.”

  As much as she didn't want her comrade anywhere near her soft-spot, the young woman was starting to understand the severity of her situation. “A-Alright… Just… Make it quick. And don’t bite hard!”

-“I won’t, you have my word.”

  Knowing that Agavni would be too timid to offer her neck herself, Vilkas took a hold of her hand; backing up until the back of his knees connected with the warm stone of the Skyforge, he sat down and pulled the young woman between his legs.

  He ignored her discomfort at their awkward position as he closed the distance between them and placed his hand onto her golden locks; bracing herself for what she assumed would be painful, her eyes shut tightly when he pushed her head aside, giving the lycanthrope access to her neck.

  Her hand dove up to her mouth when he teasingly ghosted his lips over her flesh, curiously testing out her sensitivity; Vilkas guessed that she had silenced an uncontrolled moan.

  Before she would change her mind, the Companion quickly clamped his teeth down onto her neck without a warning. He immediately caught scent of a change in her hormones and the rush of blood from her suddenly racing heart; though she wouldn't admit it and was obviously fighting back her body's sudden desires, Vilkas could detect that the stimulation of Agavni's weak spot was turning her on. Instinctively, his jaw tightened, his teeth sinking deeper into her skin and causing the young mage to slightly arch her body onto his chest. “O-Ow… I s-said ‘don’t bite hard’.” She winced quietly, fingers grabbing onto his shirt and curling into tight fists.

  Vilkas loosened his jaw, running a gentle tongue over her soft flesh as an apology. **“She’s quivering…”** Beast’s voice suddenly sounded with a low purr when the Companion's licking earned him a soft whimper from the petite woman.

  Hands snaking to rest on Agavni’s shoulders, the Companion felt the tensed muscles against his fingertips. _“I know.”_ Unconsciously, his hands gave her skin a gentle kneading, attempting to melt away her stress.

 **-"Amazing how hard she's trying to fight it, how terrified she is of her body betraying her like this."**  The creature seemed to lean in closer, as if inspecting the young mage. **“And her scent. It’s…”**

 _-“Intoxicating.”_ The Companion quietly moaned, shutting his heavy eyelids; sneaking a hand down to the low of Agavni’s back and the other between her shoulder blades, he pulled her smaller frame flush against his, giving her tender skin a few hard licks within the bite.

  Agavni gave the lycanthrope's shoulders a weak push. “V… Vilkas.” Her voice quavered as the Companion’s grasp on her being tightened. “E-Enough.”

  Beast’s sudden blood lusting growl resonated within its host's mind and the Nord immediately knew that he had reached a dangerous line. Shooting his eyes open, he quickly released Agavni, small tremors coursing through his being at the thought of how close he had been to giving the creature within him free reign over his body.

  The young woman shivered, just as flushed as he was; she was instantly halted when her hand attempted to wipe away the saliva from her heated neck. “Wait. It needs to stay on for a few days.” When Agavni slowly lowered her hand and evaded his gaze, the Nord suddenly felt remorseful. “D-Did I hurt you?”

-“No.” She lied quietly, clearly attempting to keep her Shield-Brother from feeling worse about the situation.

  Vilkas wasn’t buying it. “You’re upset with me.”

  The young woman glanced up at him and gave him an awkward smile. “I’m not, Vilkas. It just… felt weird, that’s all. I understand why it needed to be done.” Nervously, she asked him, “Did it work at least?” The Companion gave a silent nod, guilt overtaking his conscience as he knew that he had delivered Agavni to the Daedric Prince of the Hunt. If she only knew what was awaiting her…

*

_-“V-Vilkas! Ah! Please… S-Stop!” Her plea fell on deaf ears as the Companion continued his merciless assault on the young woman’s helpless body; his head firmly remaining between her legs as his tongue feverishly worked on her. The lycanthrope glanced up at his prey, a predatory and lustful gaze lurking in his now golden eyes._

_Agavni desperately fought against the binds around her wrists that tied her limbs over her head; though her skin had bruised from the leather bindings, she tugged in a blind panic, determined to free herself from Vilkas’s unwanted grasp. A pained cry escaped her throat when the man sank his claws into the soft flesh of her thighs, holding her legs firmly pinned onto her stomach; temporarily breaking contact from her womanhood, the Nord moved to the blood that pearled under his fingers, moaning deeply as he gave the sweet fluid a languished lick. “Y-You’re a monster…” The small mage sobbed, her body instinctively attempting to twist away from his displeasing treatment, only to be met with deeper lacerations from his claws._

_-“I know~” Vilkas purred as he returned to her core._

_Agavni finally managed to free one of her hands, quickly grabbing a handful of the Companion’s hair as she hopelessly tugged on his brown locks, sinking her nails into his scalp in hopes of pulling him away from her intimate region. Yet, her struggles only seemed to excite the lycanthrope more as he simply spread her legs further apart, giving him better access to the feast before him. “Please!” Her voice cried out followed by a choked moan when Vilkas gave her core yet another hungry sweep, diving his tongue past her slickened folds and into her core. “Stop!!”_

_His Shield-Sister tossed her head back into the fluffy pillow, tears rolling down her reddened cheeks as she silently prayed to the Gods, begging for someone to save her from the violent hold of the monster she was trapped with. The man she had met, he was no longer there. Or perhaps he was… Perhaps what she had seen was merely a mask that he had been wearing, hiding his real colors away from the young woman until she had dropped her guard around him. Perhaps, this was his true nature._

_-“This is what you are, Vilkas.” A bodiless voice echoed within the empty room, “You’ve fought it back long enough, but not anymore. Show her your sharp claws, your razor teeth, your feral eyes… Embrace your glorious nature and make the bitch bow down to your will.”_

_A pained cry rang from Agavni’s rosy lips as the horny Companion stuck two fingers into her virgin core, without warning nor preparation. “Akatosh, Julianos…” The young mage wept as Vilkas continued his abuse, pumping his fingers in and out of her, his mouth still latched onto her sensitive lips and tongue earnestly caressing her clit. “M-Mara, a-ah! Stendarr, Arkay… Anyone!” The eagerness with which Vilkas moved made it seem as if this was his last day on Nirn._

_The Nord let go of her nether regions, crawling up and towering over her smaller frame. “P-Please, don’t… do this…” She pleaded with a whimper, Vilkas’ fingers continuing to wiggle inside her, groaning lustfully as her muscles clenched tightly around his digits._

_Grabbing her freed hand, he pinned it back over her head; her body writhed beneath him as she turned her face away from him, clearly disheartened with her situation._

_-“Hush now, little one” Vilkas spoke, his voice a guttural and bestial echo. “The fun is only just beginning.” Pressing his knees against the inside of her thighs, the lycanthrope pushed her legs further apart; leaning his heavy body onto her’s, he trapped his hardened shaft between him and her wet core, rocking his hips back and forth against her naked being._

_-“Just like that,” he purred into her ear as he rubbed himself between her folds, earning him a soft whimper from the small woman beneath him, “sing for me.”_

_Agavni trembled violently under his grip as his member continuously slid over her sensitive clit, the jolts it sent through her body less distracting than the hand he was pining over her head and that was slowly going numb from the lack of blood flow. Vilkas threw his head back, a moan of satisfaction rolling off his tongue like honey as the scent of their intimacy was all that his nose could detect. “So sweet, so fragile…” Lifting one of her legs over his shoulder, the Companion leaned back and gazed down fervidly at her slickened entrance. “And mine to do with as I please.” As he aligned his dripping member with her inexperienced entrance and slowly sheathed himself in, Agavni let out a blood-curdling scream that nearly split his mind in half._

*

  The nightmare quickly dissolved, storing itself deep into Vilkas’ memories as he sprung from his slumber with a distressed cry; body drenched in sweat and heart pounding violently against his rib cage, the sinful dream was still fresh in his mind. The young woman’s heart wrenching shriek still echoing within his ears, the Companion’s hands searched around his bed in a blind panic, hoping to deny the crime he had just witnessed, hoping that Agavni’s person was nowhere near him.

  When reality slow sank in, a chilling comfort coursed through the lycanthrope as he regained his senses. “It was… just a dream.” He sighed in relief, running a shaking hand over his messy hair. “Just a dream.”

  Pinching the bridge of his nose and shutting his watering eyes, he tried to sooth away the powerful headache that grew by the second. Why had he dreamt of this? And why wasn’t the Beast mocking him for it?  **“Pull yourself** **together,"** Beast barked out, **"you have a guest.”**

  The Nord's eyes darted to his left when he heard shuffling and instantly froze when he found Hircine seated at the edge of his bed, strong arms folded over his naked torso and seemingly unimpressed by Vilkas’ state. “W-What are _you_ doing here?!”

-“Is that anyway to speak to your Master?” The Daedric Prince hissed, baring his fangs disapprovingly at the Companion as his golden eyes pierced into the man's soul.

-“What are you doing here, _my Lord_?” Corrected sarcastically the Nord; he knew he was testing the Huntsman's patience with the lack of respect he was showing; but after the nightmare he just had of raping his poor Shield-Sister, Vilkas found that Hircine was the only one to blame as it was his curse that agitated his animalistic instincts.

-“I am merely here because your beast called for me." Huffed out the Daedric Prince, "I take it the deed is done?”

  The lycanthrope growled at his inner beast. _“You called for him?!”_

**-“And why wouldn’t I? You’ve placed your scent on the whelp, best tell Lord Hircine now.”**

-“Well?” Hircine tapped his claws impatiently against the wood of Vilkas' bed, “Is the transformation complete?”

  Shaking his head, the Nord denied the question. “No. But… I’ve placed my scent. Just as you asked…”

  Both disappointment and pleasure danced on the Prince’s chiseled features. “Excellent, though I'd suggest that you get on with the transformation soon; I do not like to be kept waiting by ill-mannered brats...” Hircine then grinned maliciously, rubbing his hands together in anticipation, “I can sense that this era’s hunt will be a memorable one. Now I simply need to wait for the right moment to summon the Bloodmoon…”

-“Bloodmoon…? Wait… You’re not…” The sudden realization started sinking into Vilkas when Hircine smirked down at him, cruel intentions evident on the Huntsman’s visage. “Hirc- My Lord… What are your plans? For the woman?”

  Giving his defiant follower a series of playful taps, Hircine then pinched the assaulted cheek and cooed lowly. “Nothing you should be concerning yourself with, my hound.”

  Vilkas bore his teeth, a vicious glare lurking in his silver eyes as he swatted away the Daedric Prince’s hand from his face. “I already _am_ concerned. Spit it out!”

  Though Hircine was displeased with the Companion’s total lack of respect for his authority, the Huntsman temporarily ignored it as he had the upper hand in their argument. “Let’s just say, both of you will be the guests of honor in this era’s great hunt.”

-“W-Wait what?”

-“You were foolish to think that I would let your impudence go unpunished. It’s time that you be reminded who you belong to, Vilkas, and of what you are.” Hircine stated harshly, his playful act suddenly replaced a cold-blooded and heartless aura. “You will let out your beast and you will be leading my hunters for the Great Hunt this era. It will be quite a chase.”

  The Companion boiled with fury and hatred. _“The bastard, son of a bitch, piece of shit!!”_

 **-“Finally!!”** The Beast guffawed with excitement, **“It’s been so long since I’ve had a good hunt! And to think that we’ll be the lead dog in Lord Hircine’s hunt… Such an honor!”**

_-“Don’t get your hopes up, Beast! I’m not letting you out! Not now, not ever!”_

  A hearty laughter echoed. **“Haha! Not this time, boy! Once you hear the blow of the horn, you’ll heed to Lord Hircine's call.”**

  Having been distracted by the unwanted position that the Daedra was putting him in, Vilkas suddenly remembered Agavni. “What about her? The woman?” When Hircine failed to answer, panic rose within Vilkas, his chest tightening to the point that he could barely breathe, “What role does she have in the Bloodhunt damn it?!”

-“Like I said,” a wicked smirk tugged at the Daedric Prince’s features, “nothing you need to worry yourself about.”

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish to firstly thank you all, dear readers, for your amazing patience! <3 I know this took me a while to write and I truly apologize for the long wait!  
> I would also like to give a huge thank you to OmniGamer for her wonderful help! ^^ Couldn't have gone through my writer's block without her!

-“Agavni, oh Agavniii~”  _ No. _ “Wake up, Sister.”  _ Go awaaay. _ She pulled the blankets tighter around her in an attempt to shut out the persistent voice. “WAKE UP!”

  The honeyed voice suddenly boomed within the room, violently pulling the Dragonborn from her late slumber. “Ah, you’re finally up~”

-“Aela…” Agavni hissed in annoyance after glancing out of her window, “The sun’s not even out yet.”

  She didn’t know why or how Aela had managed to sneak into her house, but- Wait… Scratch that. She did care. “How did you get in…?”

-“Climbed your balcony.”

   _The… balcony…_ “Couldn’t you use a door like any normal person? You could have knocked…”

-“Well aren’t you in a sour mood.” chuckled the red-headed woman.

-“Because it’s not even morning yet!” Growled Agavni, her voice muffled as she hid her head beneath the warmth of the pillow, “I want to sleep!”

-“No chance!” Aela proved relentless, yanking back the covers in one quick motion. “Now get up, or I’ll send the boys up.”

  Agavni shot up, one arm grappling with the edge of her bed and the other snatching back her precious sheets. “Fine! At least give me some time to get dressed!”

-“Fine,” sang the huntress, content with her small victory, “you’ve five minutes, no more. We’ll wait downstairs.”

*

-“Waking me up so early in the morning…” Agavni grumbled with a frown as she exited her room, struggling to pull her hair up in a neat bun, “Tsk! I could be sleeping right about now… But nooo, a Companion just  _ had _ to step into my home uninvited. Pff… couldn’t even use a door, had to climb up to my balcony…”

  She wasn’t a morning person, the Gods knew that. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Companions weren’t aware of that tidbit. “At least she used the balcony. Last time she tried knocking, she made her own door…” The young woman froze at the top of the staircase, the manly voice far from sounding like Aela’s.

  Peering down before stepping into sight, Agavni suddenly wished she would have taken the time to make herself look more presentable to the group of Companions that awaited to welcome her near the fireplace. “Um…” Worrying the edge of her satin robe, the young woman found herself taken aback by her predicament, “I… wasn’t expecting company today, especially so early.” Aela’s threat hadn’t been so empty after all.

-“Decided to surprise you!” grinned Farkas. His eyes scanned her for a second before waving a piece of bread towards her outfit, “You look nice.”

-“Th-Thank you…” Clearing her throat, Agavni crossed her exposed legs in a failed attempt to hide them and cast a glance upstairs, “Would you mind if I just go and put on something more, appropriate?”

  Aela sputtered and tugged her down the rest of the steps. “Oh nonsense! As werewolves, we’ve seen far more of each other.”

-“I’m sure you have.” The petite half-Nord muttered uncomfortably.  Cupboards open, baskets of food emptied… “I see you’ve already helped yourselves.”

-“Hope you don’t mind.” Chimed Farkas, draping an arm around her shoulders. 

   _I do mind actually…_ “It’s fine.” Sneaking out from under his limb, the young woman settled herself onto the nearby bench. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but is there a particular reason as to why you’re all here this early? Surely it wasn’t to empty out my pantry.”

-“Of course! We came with a special announcement!” Aela declared proudly, “Tonight, we feast in celebration of your return!”

   _But… I was only gone for a day or two…_ “You’re preparing a feast…”

-“Yes.”

-“For me…”

-“Yes.”

-“And this involves dragging me out of bed so early, how?”

  A toothy smile tugged on the huntress’ lips as she gave Agavni’s cheek a hard pinch. “It’s the best time for hunting, obviously.”

  Slowly, the smaller woman was beginning to put two and two together. “And… you want me, to hunt for the food…”

-“That’s right!” chimed Aela.

  Agavni turned a questioning gaze towards the quiet Companion at the far end of the room, hoping that he would indulge her in the logic behind Aela’s thinking. Vilkas simply shrugged, an innocent smile plastering over his features.  _ You were in on this too, weren’t you…?  _

-“Alright, I’ll do it.” A helpless sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed away the sleep from her eyes. At this point in her fatigue, she'd say almost anything to make them to leave.

  Exclamations of excitement sounded within the room, driving the exhausted woman deeper into irritation. “Way to be a team player, Aggy!” Aela praised, slamming a strong hand onto her Shield Sister’s back; Agavni bit back a pained groan, unable to refrain herself from mentally cursing at the huntress. “Best get to it quickly! Tilma will need the day to prepare the meat. Come on, boys, it’s time we leave our dear sister to her hunt.”

  Agavni escorted, if not  _ kicked  _ them out, her body acting as a barrier as it leaned against the door frame, hoping to keep the Companions from re-entering her domicile. 

  As Aela and Farkas continued their way to Jorrvaskr, Vilkas lingered. “Um…” He threw a quick glance in his comrades’ direction before untying a sack from his belt and handing it to Agavni. “Breakfast.” Was the Nord’s explanation, “Had to keep it away otherwise Farkas would have eaten it too.”

  Surprise then gratitude swept over the young mage’s visage. “Oh! That’s very kind of you! Thank you, Vilkas.” She chirped, rummaging through the items with delight, the exhaustion from earlier quickly fading.

-“Adorable.” The headstrong Companion hummed lowly at the scene, a gentle smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

  He realized that he had spoken his thought out loud when baby blue eyes suddenly peered up at him. “What was that? I’m afraid I didn’t hear you.” Questioned Agavni with a mouthful of bread.

  Awkwardly clearing his throat, he waved it away. “N-Nothing…” He attempted to quickly change the subject. “Do you, uh, want me to assist you? In the hunting?”

-“It’s quite alright, Vilkas,” Agavni replied sweetly, “I usually fair better on my own.”

*

  Despite her want to return to the comfort of her bed, the wilds were a pleasant environment for Agavni. A  _ familiar _ environment. The forest sounds were numerous, yet the training she underwent as a child allowed her to distinguish the nature of each noise, as well as the direction from which they came from.

  Kneeling down to inspect hoof marks within the dirt, the horse she had rented to carry her kills nuzzled into her blonde locks once again. “Maybe I should have accepted Vilkas’ help…” She regretfully mumbled to herself, the creature proving to be a bigger distraction than she had anticipated. “Stop. That!” With a hard tug, Agavni managed to free the handful of hair the mount had attempted to eat. “The sooner you let me finish my hunt, the sooner I’ll return you to your master and free you of your burden.”

  The charcoal furred creature whinnied, stomping its hooves into the ground restlessly. “What’s gotten into you? Your master told me that you were used to carrying kills, so what’s worrying you so much? There aren’t any predators around…”  _ Surely the doe’s not  _ that _ heavy? _

  Inspecting the lifeless catch she had attached to its back, everything seemed well placed. “Fine, how about I help you out a bit? Would that calm you down?” The young woman untied a few rabbits from the horse and snuck her arm into the sack’s strap. “Better? You know I’d take more, but I need my arms if I want to use my bow…”

  It didn’t help. Certain that there wasn’t any danger lurking around, Agavni concluded that perhaps the horse was just as weary as she was. “Come on,” she gave the reins a gentle tug, urging her companion forward, “I want to catch one more prey and then we’re done, you have my word.”

  A distanced bark suddenly stilled her.  _ A wolf? No... Surely I would have sense it. Damn, I just hope it’s not with a pack. _ She listened carefully, attempting to determine if the canine was accompanied by friends.  _ Sounds like there’s only one. But… something seems… wrong.  _ Her instincts urged her to walk in the opposite direction, to avoid the possible danger; yet her heart told her that she’d later find herself regretting her decision if she didn’t investigate the distressed calls. 

  Reaching for another arrow and readying her bow, she slowly followed the continuous yelps and growls. Her footing slow and silenced, the Dragonborn kept her guard up, hoping to avoid a possible ambush. Turning in the direction of the curious sounds, she followed a small path leading towards a large hole within the ground. A pitfall. One dug big and deep enough for a large creature, perhaps a bear or a sabretooth.

  Breath held, Agavni cautiously peeked into the deep and dark space, half-expecting something to suddenly lash out at her. Deep within the mud stood sharpened pikes, a few broken possibly from the weight of a poor creature having previously fallen into the trap; dried leaves and small twigs decorated the inside, hiding only slightly the small source of the cries. It took the young woman a few seconds to properly process the pitiful sight before she finally lowered her weapon. “Oh sweetheart,” her voice came out hushed, “what on Nirn are you doing out here?” The small tuft of golden fur wiggled amongst the filthy pikes, curiously peeking up at its new friend.

  The shivering and frightened puppy whimpered when Agavni laid flat onto her stomach and reached an arm into the trap; the tiny canine backed away at the far end of the deep hole with a squeaky bark, complicating its rescue. “No, no! Come back! I’m not going to hurt you, I promise.” It refused to cooperate with her, its body mimicking her position and its stained paws curling over its snout with a whine. “Aww! Nooo! Am I  _ that  _ scary to you?”

  She had no choice, she’d have to go in and get the puppy herself. Noticing a tattered ladder, she made sure that she’d be able get out afterwards.  _ It looks fragile… I should probably tie myself to a tree, in case if the ladder doesn’t hold my weight. _

  Fastening herself with some rope she had brought with her, she looked around before deeming that she was alone and unaided; Agavni then pulled her bow over her head and strapped it onto her back, the string sinking uncomfortably between her breasts. It was something she had learned to deal with.

  Sitting at the edge of the deep pitfall, she carefully let herself slide into it, her boots sinking into the mud with a nauseating squelch, its wetness nearly causing the mage to lose her footing. A vile scent almost instantly filled her nostrils.  _ Something definitely died in here… _

  Carefully approaching the small pup, Agavni stopped only a few feet away from the growling creature, kneeling down and calmly offering her hand. “Come now, sweetie. I’ll get you out of here.”

  Jumping back and forth indecisively, the puppy seemed uncertain of the hand that remained loosely outstretched; Agavni waited patiently as her new acquaintance grew more curious than scared. Slowly, it smelled her hand, taking in her scent before giving her fingers a small lick and sneaking its snout into her palm, searching for affection. Wasting no time in picking up his weightless body, Agavni hugged the small creature close, soothing away the small tremors coursing through its golden coat. “There there, sweetheart, you’re alright now. I’ll take good care of you, I promise.”

  The ladder, thankfully, held her weight; upon heaving herself out of the pitfall, the petite lady removed her cloak and wrapped the puppy in a warm bundle; the labrador simply wagged its tail and nuzzled into the once white fur, basking into its comforting warmth. “Once we get home, I’ll prepare something tasty for you and then, you’ll get a nice bath. I’ve never had a dog though, I wonder what it is that you can eat… Maybe the Companions would be able to tell me m-”

  A nearby rustle caught her attention, and the horse rapidly became restless again. Agavni quickly untied herself from the tree, laid the puppy into the grass and swiftly pulled her bow back into her hands, armed and ready within seconds.

  She listened carefully, shutting out the mare’s panicked whinnying. Calmly, the half-Nord scanned the area for the source of the noises, hoping that it wasn’t the reason behind the mount’s alarmed state. Agavni instantly spotted it; standing i n the distance stood her last target of the day, magnificent and unsuspecting. With a slow exhale, she locked her aim towards the beautiful elk's head, determined to give the prey a quick death. It deserved that much for the meal it was going to provide the Companions with.

  The string shot back in place, sending the deadly arrow whistling through the peaceful forest; the violent crunch of a fractured skull sounded in Agavni’s ears, followed by an unfamiliarly sharp crack.  _ Huh. That was an odd sound. _ Her mind commented as she watched the massive creature fall, its life quickly fleeting from its pearly black eyes.

  Picking up the small pup in one arm and taking hold of the horse’s reins in the other, she made her way to the motionless corpse. Kneeling down to examine her catch, she was glad to see that she had once again struck her mark; however, she noticed a foreign arrow sticking out of the large head from the other side.  _ Aah, that explains the cracking noise. Now I wonder who the second arrow belongs to…  _

-“That’s my hunt.” A voice stated gruffly, surprising the blonde from her thoughts.

  Glancing up, Agavni was only met with a mighty silhouette casting a shadow down at her; squinting in hopes of distinguishing the stranger’s features, her brows knitted together in a frown at the man’s rude statement. “We shot at the same time, so neither of us can lay claim on it. But,” she nodded down at her arrow, “I believe I deserve this kill.”

  The heavily armored man seemed to gaze at her for a few seconds, studying her, before kneeling on opposite end; his golden eyes peered into hers, awaiting for an explanation to her bold remark. 

  Though Agavni wouldn’t admit it, she found herself taken aback by the uncommon yet visually pleasing orbs. _His_ _ eyes... I've... I’ve never quite seen their type before… So fascinating. _

  A gloved hand snuck out from under the Nord’s dark cloak and gave his stubble a rub as he contemplated the petite lady before him, seemingly less interested by the fallen creature laying between them. A devilish smirk slowly tugged at his strong features. “Well? What is it I’m supposed to see here? For you to be claiming victory.”

  Agavni snapped out of her trance, a flustered blush sweeping over her cheeks at the unusual state she had fallen in. Without another word, she grabbed the deer by an antler and gently pulled it towards her, revealing a completely split arrow from the huntsman’s side. The stranger’s cocky smile immediately melted from his face. “Impossible…” He whispered in disbelief, stupefaction lingering in his voice; in all his years, and he had many, none had ever defeated his arrow. 

-“Very possible,” Agavni replied calmly, “as you can see for yourself.”

  The sun-kissed man remained quiet, an indecipherable emotion settling in his peculiar eyes. Madness? Pride? Astonishment? Agavni couldn’t tell, yet the clear tightening of his jaw made her uneasy. The eyes she had found alluring and exquisite a few minutes ago, now frightened her.  _ Try anything, and I’ll freeze you. It may have not worked on Vilkas, but you… you’re just a man. _

-“Very well.” He finally spoke huskily, the possible hostility quickly fading, “The prey is yours.”

  Agavni quietly breathed out in relief. “Thank you,” she bowed her head respectfully, “I… I hope you are not upset about this.”

-“Not at all,” he reassured with a low chuckle, “there are plenty more for me to hunt. Besides, I’ve already my eyes set on a particular prey.”

  A gentle smile flashed on her delicate visage. “Oh, that’s good! Good luck then!” Before the man could reply, she flicked her wrist and cast a levitation spell on the dead body; it slowly rose and followed her as she walked away, her rented horse and sleeping puppy at hands.

  The stranger stood dumbfounded before gritting his teeth in fury.  _ “She turns her back on me?!” _   With a few quick strides, he easily caught up to the much shorter woman. “Wait! No one has ever split my arrow in half, I must know where you learned these skills.”

-“My grandparents,” Agavni answered, continuing her way back to Whiterun, “they taught me everything I know. I’ve wanted to learn more, enhance my skills; but I’ve yet to meet someone who can teach me something new.”

  The stranger grew all the more curious. “What are their names? Perhaps I know of them.”

-“My apologies, but I don’t share family affairs with strangers…”

  She seemed anything but interested in speaking to the Nord, and that frustrated him. Swiftly stepping in her path, the huntsman brought Agavni to an abrupt stop. “Please, just… stop walking for one second and hear me out. As I’ve said before: _No one_ has ever split my arrow in half before. I wish to… I  _ need _ to speak with you more.”

-“Oh! Um…” The Dragonborn wasn’t certain how to respond to this. “I-I’m alright with having company on the way back, if you’re willing to escort me back to Whiterun.”

-“Of course!” A pleasant smile formed on the Nord. “Anything to spend more time with such a fine huntress.”

  Agavni cast her eyes to the bundle in her arms, averting his gaze with timidity. “Y-You’re kind, but there’s no need for flattery.”

-“Must praise not be given where deserved?”

-“W-Well, yes…” Agavni trailed off quietly, the rouge dusting her cheeks increasing in intensity. She wasn’t used to receiving compliments, and when she did, she wasn’t certain of the proper way to respond to them, especially when they were continuous.

-“Then my words remain.” Thankfully, the moment was cut short when a heavy coat was suddenly wrapped around her bare shoulders. She glanced up confusedly at the stranger as he locked the brooch of his fur beneath her chin. “Wouldn’t want you to freeze on the way back. Now, before we continue, would you grace me with your name?”

  Welcoming the new warmth closer to her skin, Agavni brightened up, the stranger’s lexicon certainly enjoyable to the tiny woman. “Agavni. My name’s Agavni.”

-“Pleasure to meet you,  _ Agavni _ .” He purred out softly as he straightened out the last wrinkle on his coat; t he handsome man amiably smiled down at her, his actions earning him yet another pink hue from the woman.

-“Pleasure to meet you too.” The young mage's voice came out a near stutter as she seemingly struggled to keep her incomprehensibly faltering composure. With the small introduction apparently done, they broke contact and the stranger took hold on the elk, heaving its lifeless body over his shoulder with astonishing ease. “Wait, what about me?”

  A deep chuckle rumbled within the Nord’s chest. “I have no name if that is what you seek.”

-“No name?” There was a hint of pity in Agavni’s question.  _ How could someone walk this plane without a name? _   “Surely there is something that I could call you.”

  As he eyed Agavni up and down, a flirtatious smirk creeping over his chiseled features; the Companions picked out quite a fine pup for their pack. “How about I let you pick a name for me?”

-“Seriously?” She quirked a manicured eyebrow at the man.

-“I don’t see why not. Would certainly be better than referring to me as ‘the nameless one’.” Placing a hand on his hip, he jokingly struck a heroic pose. “Go on, Agavni, name me.”

  The Dragonborn’s mouth hung slightly agape, unsure if she should be the one nominating a man she had just met. Yet he appeared so enthusiastic about the whole thing, she didn’t want to burst his bubble.

  Tilting her head to the side and then to the other, she studied the robust specimen displayed before her. The Nord observed the small woman’s contemplation, how she bit her bottom lip, how her brows knitted together as she evidently searched her vocabulary, determined to give him a proper name; she slowly approached him, leaning her head back and peering deeply into his eyes. “You believe the answer to be in my eyes?”

-“Eyes are the windows to one’s soul. I’m trying to see your identity through them, trying to find  _ who _ and  _ what _ you are; then, I could give you a name.”

  Their gazes remained locked for a while, yet the Nord was unbothered by it. The young woman's attention darted between the sturdy man and the elk he was carrying on his shoulder; finally, she seemed to have made up her mind, appearing confident and satisfied with her decision. Parting her rosy lips, Agavni gave her new acquaintance an identity. “Hunter.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a big thank you to OmniGamer for her support! <3

  Working around the wood, perfecting the sculpted wing, Vilkas found himself wondering if the rumors were true. Were dragons truly roaming Skyrim? If so, how long until they targeted Whiterun? And how was the city to defend itself?

  Kodlak had told him many stories of these mighty and ferocious devils, of the destruction that followed their path and the cities they laid to waste… The old man had even spoken of a dragon residing deep within Dragonsreach itself, but Vilkas never believed that to be true. Yet a part of him wished it to be real, to one day encounter such vicious beasts and to add them to the list of creatures he’s killed.  _ “One can always dream…” _

  He blew, sending the shavings flying onto his lap and moved his knife to a new section. The city was more or less quiet this morning as the market square gradually livened up, its incessant clamoring reaching the lycanthrope’s ears at Jorrvaskr; it was endurable. However, by the new Gildergreen tree, the Talos preacher’s voice was especially aggravating.

-“Trust in me, Whiterun!” The preacher cried out, arms reaching above his head in a devout prayer. “Trust in Heimskr!”

-“For I am the chosen of Talos…” Vilkas grumbled in sync with the man,, “I alone have been anointed by the Ninth to spread his holy word…” He’d heard the same old speech enough to be able to sermonize it himself at every sunrise. It wouldn’t be a surprise to the Companion if he targeted the rambling man during an accidental transformation.

  The silver-eyed twin suddenly wondered: would he regret killing Heimskr?  _ “The Winds District would be quieter for one…” _

  After actually giving it some thought, he concluded that he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he took yet another life as a mindless werewolf. After all, he still regretted his past victims, even the snow white cat he’d eaten in one bite, an event he was far too ashamed to admit to anyone. The very thought brought back the foul taste of its stringy meat in his mouth…

  Unwillingly, Vilkas’s train of thought turned back to the subject of dragons. He turned his gaze up to the clear skies, then lifted up his work in progress and scoffed. Dragons weren’t real, he concluded. Just an excuse for what happened in Helgen.

**-“Sooo…”** Beast cleared its throat, bored by the peaceful silence,  **“That dream you had last night…”**

  Vilkas had hoped the creature wouldn’t bring up the unholy subject.  _ “We’re not discussing it.” _

**-“Oh, so you** **_don’t_ ** **want to talk about your sex dream?”**

  An aggravated sigh rolled off the Nord’s tongue. Beast always did this. Just when Vilkas thought he was going to get a few minutes of tranquility from his constant nuisance, the creature brought up the most uncomfortable topics in an attempt to provoke its host.  _ “I  _ was _ enjoying myself a few seconds ago, you know…” _

**-“Of course… Whittling is so much more interesting than… well,** **_anything else_ ** **…”**

_ -“It most certainly is for me.” _

**-“Is that why you hide it from your Shield-Siblings?”**

  Setting the dragon figuring aside, Vilkas waved his knife at the peaceful sight of Whiterun.  _ “And what makes you think I’m not up here for the view…?” _

**-“Fine then. Answer a simple question. Who knows of your hobby?”** Beast received no response.  **“Face it, boy, you’re ashamed of your little passion and with good reason. Let it go and do something more interesting. Like hunting.”**

  The Companion turned his attention to his unfinished project. Demoralized by Beast’s words, he felt the fire within extinguishing; it dawned on him that the wooden creature would be yet another incomplete work, halted once again by the monster inside.

  Holding up the worn blade, he contemplated whether or not he should simply give up his interest. After all, Beast would find another way to discourage him the next time he’d take up whittling, and quite honestly, his patience was wearing thin.

-“Vilkas?” A voice called out to him, gentle and sweet, coaxing him out of his thoughts.

  The Nord glanced over the edge, and was met with a confused and uneasy gaze. “Wh… What are you doing back so early?” He questioned.

  Agavni shrugged. “I’m done with my hunt. What are you doing on the roof?”

-“Just, uh… thinking.”

  Her rosy lips drew thin as her manicured brows knitted into a frown. “It’s dangerous up there, Vilkas, please come down.”

-“Scared that I’ll fall?” Vilkas quirked a brow, amused by her unexpected concern.

-“Yes!”

  Beast snorted.  **“Pft! He’ll barely get a scratch if he falls…”**

  Rising to his feet, the headstrong Companion pushed the tool back into its sheath and dusted himself off, the wood shavings quickly blown away by the gentle gust of wind; he could feel the young woman’s eyes on him, watching his every move and anxiously hoping to catch a misstep before it occurred. “If you keep staring like that, I might actually fall.” He teased.

-“Just get down.” Agavni whined, tapping a boot against the ground in frustration. Or maybe it was meant to scare him, Vilkas didn’t know.

-“Alright, alright.” Purposely dangling a foot off the ledge, the Companion slowly let gravity take over, a quiet grin spread over his cheeks at the alarmed yelp that escaped his Shield-Sister’s throat when he suddenly leapt. Though he wouldn’t admit it, a sharp pain shot up from his ankles to his knees upon landing heavily on the stone; he concealed the growing ache, silently regretting his stunt. “There, happy?”

**-“Now you’re just trying to show off…”**

_ -“Oh, shut up for a few minutes.” _

  Agavni’s head dropped into her hand, fingers massaging her forehead. “Nearly gave me a heart attack…” Her voice came hushed.

-“Now, now, you weren’t actually worried for me…” Vilkas’ laugh was cut short when Agavni shot him a disapproving glare, “… were you?”

-“I was.” The young woman pouted, clearly displeased with his so-called pleasantry.

  The Companion found himself uncertain on how to address the situation; the rest of his Shield-Siblings would have discarded his joke, even daring him to test his limits further. Perhaps it was foolish to imagine that the tiny mage would have reacted similarly. “Hey, I can withstand more than you think. There was no need to be so concerned…”

-“Yes, because I know everything about a werewolf’s physical capabilities.” She muttered sarcastically, bottom lip sticking out in an angry pout.

  The tightness in Vilkas’ chest returned, a feeling he was still not accustomed to.  _ “I guess it’s a pretty high drop from her perspective. Maybe I shouldn’t have scared her like that…” _

  Mustering his courage, he reached out and placed his hand atop of Agavni’s wavy locks. “Alright, I’m sorry. I promise I won’t do it again.”

**-“By Anu…”** Beast sighed.

_ -“What?” _

**-“Stand by a bucket. Your sympathy for the whelp is going to make me vomit…”**

  A forgiving smile tugged on the young woman’s rosy lips; not that she would have held the situation against him for long. “It’s alright, so long as you stick to that promise.” 

  Vilkas’ attention moved to her neck, the bruised area only slightly evident. The subtle scent,  _ his  _ scent, still lingered on it; to his growing regret, she had clearly obeyed last night’s demand of avoiding to wash off his bite.

  Shrouded with guilt and dismay, the thought of hunting his oblivious Shield-Sister for Hircine’s twisted game sickened him and haunted his conscience. Unintentionally, his hand slid from her golden hair down to her warm cheek, his actions offering her a silent apology.

_ -“I… I can’t do it. I need to hide her somehow, keep her away from Hircine. Gonna have to start with washing off the scent from the bite.” _

**-“Lord Hircine will kill you, you know…”** The creature reminded him nonchalantly,  **“You ruin his great hunt, and he’ll make** **_you_ ** **the prey.”**

_ -“I know… But this is so wrong. To welcome her into the family, then hunt her down like some… animal. She doesn’t deserve such a fate. No one does…” _

  Absentmindedly caressing the soft flesh with the pad of his thumb, Vilkas was quickly snapped back to reality when Agavni innocently questioned him. “Is there something on my cheek?”

  Like a hand caught in a flame, the Nord pulled back with a jump, instantly feeling the rush of blood to his face. “U-Uh, y-yeah…” When the young woman reached up to inspect, Vilkas was quick to add, “It was just a speck of dirt though. I already got it.”

-“Oh my, how long had it been there?” She murmured to herself in embarrassment.

  Just as the lycanthrope opened his mouth to speak up, Agavni exclaimed, seemingly having realized that she had sidetracked from her initial question. “Oh! I have a deer waiting by the city gates; would someone be able to bring it in?”

  Breathing out in relief that the subject wasn’t pushed any further, Vilkas took the task upon himself, somewhat surprised that the rabbits Agavni was carrying weren’t the only prey she’d caught.

-“Great! There’s someone bringing in an elk as well.” Throwing a glance down the flight of stairs, the petite lady searched for said person, “Uh… He was with me a few minutes ago. Where’d he go?”

-“Wait. You… caught all of these on your own?” The doe-eyed woman tilted her head at the Companion, unsure of the meaning behind his words, “Not that you wouldn’t be able to! It’s just… in such a short amount of time…” Awkwardly clearing his throat, Vilkas desperately searched his way out. “So, uh… What have you got there?”

  Agavni’s expression almost instantly changed; a sparkle danced in her baby blue eyes as she suddenly pushed her chest forward and presented him the small bundle in her arms, “I found a new friend! Poor dear was trapped at the bottom of a pitfall.” She nodded down at the small creature, encouraging the headstrong man to pet it. “Touch him, he’s very friendly.”

  Hesitantly, Vilkas brought his hand over the tiny head, halting a few inches above it.

-“Don’t be afraid, he won't bite.”

-“I’m not afraid…” The Companion lied. His strength was hard to control, and he wasn’t certain of the small creature’s physical limits.  _ “Fuck, what if I accidentally crush its skull…?” _

  Before he would withdraw and come up with an excuse, cold fingers tenderly intertwined with his own, guiding his hand down to the matted fur. Though Agavni simply smiled at his surprised state, she appeared to mentally applaud his achievement. "See? He's friendly."

-"Mm," he sounded through closed lips, fighting back the smile that threatened his hard exterior, "You should probably bring him inside though, he's shiver-" A gentle gust of wind blew their way, carrying an all-too-familiar scent to Vilkas’ nose; his eyes immediately darted towards the stairs.

  His aura proceeded his presence. The air vibrated around him, and Vilkas was instantly wary. Beast for once was quiet.

-“Oh, Hunter,” exclaimed Agavni, her face lighting up in a way the Companion didn’t like, “I was beginning to think you got lost.”

-“It would take far more than that to get rid of me,” the Nord’s golden eyes met Vilkas’ silver gaze, freezing him on the spot. It took everything he had to keep standing in the presence of his Daedric Master.

  The realization came over him like a cold wave, and for a second, the Companion thought he was going to be sick. It was too late. Agavni had already fallen into Hircine’s grasp.

  A cruel and knowing grin etched over Hunter’s strong features, secretly content with the lycanthrope’s sudden discomfort. “Vilkas!” He carefully placed down the carcass from his shoulder and spread his arm amicably to the sides, inviting the hostile man in for a hug.

-“You two know each other?” Beamed Agavni.

-“Had a few drinks together in the past,” Hunter grinned, “got along pretty well I’d say. Well, friend? Are you going to keep me waiting for much longer?”

  A rhetorical question. The Huntsman was giving Vilkas no choice but to play along. “I’d say we were more,  _ acquaintances _ , than friends…”

  Hunter lowered his arms, upper lip twitching slightly in annoyance at the Companion’s continuous opposition. “Now, now. You’re not still upset for losing that brawl, are you?”

  Turning his gaze towards his petite Shield-Sister, Vilkas' heart sank when he noticed the small twinkle in her eyes, completely oblivious of her new acquaintance’s true nature, “I can’t believe you two know each other! That’s so great!”

-“I'm glad you think so, Agavni.” The pit of Vilkas’ stomach churned at the sound of her name on the Daedric Lord’s tongue. Even the way the Huntsman looked upon her unsettled him; like a predator salivating before a dangling piece of meat. The Companion suddenly wondered how much the tiny woman had revealed about herself to the Father of Manbeasts during their way back to Whiterun in each other's company.

-“Right, and, uh, where did  _ you two _ meet… exactly?” The question came out slow, Hircine’s humanly disguise still sinking into the lycan’s mind.

-“In the forest.” Grinned Agavni, “Funny enough, Hunter and I both shot at the same prey.”

-“‘Hunter’…?”

-“Agavni picked it out for me. Quite suitable, isn’t it?” 

_ -“Out of all the names she could have picked…” _

  The young woman turned to face the Daedric Prince in disguise. “Hunter, I greatly appreciate your help. Is there anything you’d like in return?”

-“Seeing you again would be a reward in itself. How about meeting me in the morning for an archery session? I’d love to see your skills further.”

  Despite his better judgement warning him of the dangers of angering the Father of Manbeasts, Vilkas decided to cut into their conversation. “She can’t.”

  Hunter quirked a brow, his sudden glare burning with disapproval and promising the Nord a punishment for his intrusion. “I think the lady can speak for herself.”

  When their attention turned towards Agavni, she found herself taken aback by the sudden focus on her, awkward even. She threw a questioning gaze at her tall Shield-Brother. “Why can’t I?”

-“Because,” Vilkas practically barked out, “we’re… training tomorrow.”

-“We are? Certainly not the whole-”

-“Yes, the whole day.”

  As mad as his decision seemed, Agavni accepted it. “A-Alright then.” She turned to Hunter apologetically, “Maybe another time?”

  Vilkas noticed the Huntsman’s jaw tighten, clearly annoyed with his failure to plan spending more time at his prey’s side. A small triumph for his follower that surely wouldn’t last long.

  Still, Hunter fought back his frustration and flashed Agavni a devilishly handsome smile. “I do not mind, maiden.” He then directed a deep growl towards Vilkas, “I’ll be staying in Whiterun for a while, I’m certain that our paths will cross again.”

-“Don’t be so sure…” Muttered Vilkas lowly, enough for the Huntsman to hear him. He knew that he was playing with fire, yet he refused to idly stand by.

  As his Master stepped closer and peered down at him, an armored hand landed onto his shoulder and gave his flesh a painful squeeze, a subtle warning, “I’ll  _ definitely  _ be seeing you again soon.”

-“Oh, I know!" Chimed the young woman, "Why don’t you join us tomorrow? You and Vilkas could catch up.”

  Victory etched over the Prince’s mortal features. “I would be glad to join. I’ll see you then, Agavni.” Hunter took a hold of her free hand, smirking up at her as he pressed a small peck onto it, earning him a timid blush from the petite woman. Proud, he turned his attention to the Companion and gave a short nod. “Vilkas.”

-“ _ Hunter _ …”

  The Huntsman walked away, though his constant presence remained. Glancing down at Agavni, Vilkas found her attention had returned to the small puppy in her arms, the pink hue in her cheeks still lingering much to his dismay.

**-“Well…”** Beast finally broke out of hiding, **“he certainly works fast, doesn’t he?”**

*

-“You didn’t need to help me, dear,” the elder’s voice quivered sweetly as she sliced through the hanging elk with a nauseating squelch, “I would have managed on my own.”

  Agavni shook her head, the knife in her hand expertly, if not a bit angrily, slicing through the greens. “It’s alright, Tilma, I didn’t have anything else planned for the day.”  _ Well, I did want to practice my frost spells… Bah, that’s alright. I could practice tomorrow. Oh wait… I’m training with Vilkas the entire day. Wonder if he’ll let me use my magic. _ “Do you always prepare the meals on your own?”

-“The Companions are warriors, child, they specialize in warcraft, not the culinary arts.”

-“Why not both…? If they weren’t planning on catching the meal, they could have at least helped with cooking it.”

  Tilma the Haggard chuckled at the young woman’s sour retort; clearly she was still cross with the way the Companions took advantage of her new-blood status. 

-“I wouldn’t let them into my kitchen even if they wanted to. They are as clumsy as a bear! Not to mention they can’t keep their fingers to themselves when it comes to food. Destructive, the lot of them. Besides, you most certainly caught them off guard with the haul you’ve brought in.”

  When Agavni had found out that the old woman was going to be preparing the entire feast on her own, she had dropped everything she was doing and decided to assist her in the kitchen. It didn’t bother her, in fact she loved cooking.  _ But the Companions could have made an effort to pitch in somehow…  _

-“Halt!! Not another step.” Tilma’s voice suddenly boomed, sending the young woman’s heart up to her throat, “Don’t you come any closer to the food in that state, young man!”

-“At ease, Tilma,” Vilkas’ voice came from the entrance, leaning away from the old woman's bloody knife with a grimace, “I’m just returning the dog…”

  Agavni quickly dried her hands on a small towel and rushed excitedly to her Shield-Brother, a happy jump in her step at the sight of the washed puppy. Taking the bundle in her arms, she could feel the small Labrador wiggling within the white sheets, attempting to lick her fingers every time she tried to caress him. “Look at you! All washed and clean!”

  Glancing up at Vilkas to thank him, she stifled a giggle at the sight. “Looks like the puppy isn’t the only one who took a bath.”

-“Ha… Ha…” Unfortunately, the broad Companion didn’t share her amusement, clothes dripping with water and soap. “Just don’t ask me to wash him again…”

-“Aww, I won’t,” she sang, cooing at the little puppy, “who’s a good boy? Who took a nice bath with Vilkas?”

  The lycanthrope frowned at the scene, a light pink hue dusting his cheeks. “I do the work and the dog gets the kisses.” He muttered, wiping away the soapy sting from his eyes.

  A toothy grin stretched over Agavni’s gentle features. She closed the distance between their bodies, pulling him into a hug, seemingly unbothered by his soaked tunic. “Aww thank you, Vilkas!”

-“Mm…” He grumbled, ignoring the knowing smile Tilma threw in their direction; that old woman always saw past other’s masks, their true natures unhidden from her eyes. Vilkas wasn’t certain what she was currently seeing, but something told him it would be better to avoid asking.

-"Hey Vilkas?" The young woman muttered nervously, "You're not… _mad_ at me for inviting Hunter to our training, are you? I mean, I just thought it'd be nice for you two to catch up, but… I feel like I should have asked your opinion first."

  Mad? No. Frustrated? Yes. Though Vilkas couldn't blame her; had she known Hunter's true nature, she would have been more cautious. "I'm not mad," he smiled reassuringly, unable to resist Agavni's sudden puppy eyes, "But, I _would_ appreciate it if you consult me first."

-"I will," she nodded quickly, relieved by his words.

  They were interrupted before either one could add anything. "Now get out of my kitchen!" Tilma hollered, "You've stayed long enough."

-"Alright, alright!" Vilkas muttered. However, he was still expecting payment for his troubles with the small puppy. At this very time and place, he knew exactly what he wanted; now if only he could get Tilma’s vigilant gaze off of him. With quick thinking, he grabbed Agavni by the chin and ran his scruff along her smooth face.

-“Hey!” She cried out confusedly, writhing uncomfortably against the irritating sensation, “Stop that!”

  Success! Tilma shook her head at the sight and turned away with a quiet laugh, resuming the degutting of the elk. Agavni barely had the time to register the situation when Vilkas suddenly released her, snatched a piece of chicken from a nearby counter and ran off. “See you at the feast!”

  Dumbfounded, she wiped away the soap from her visage. “For the love of Mara, are all the Companions like this…?” The Labrador curiously tilted its head at her, “If so, the feast probably won’t last very long. Maybe I should have brought in more food…”

*

  The feast among the Companions wasn’t as chaotic as Agavni had anticipated. In fact, it was…  _ Actually fun! _

  Though the dishes were emptying out at an alarming rate, the night mostly consisted of competitions amongst the Shield-Siblings and of tales of epic battles, some of which the Dragonborn was certain were purely fictional.

  Currently, the warriors had moved onto arm wrestling, with Farkas in the lead. After another victory, the blue-eyed Nord called out to the petite woman. “How about you, Aggy? Want to give it a try?”

  She cast a glance at Vilkas shaking out the ache in his arm after his painful defeat against his brother. “Um, I think I’ll pass.”

-“Aww, no need to be shy!”

-“I just know that I can’t take you on, Farkas. No use in trying.” Laughing softly, she hid behind her cup of water. As much as the others had insisted, she refused to drink past half a mug of ale. Not only was she not entirely a fan of alcohol, but she knew that she was a lightweight and she wished to avoid the embarrassment that would follow were she to exceed her short limit.

  The chair beside her suddenly screeched against the stone as Aela rose to her feet. “I will do it in your name, Sister! For the feast you’ve caught and prepared!” In mere seconds, she emptied out the contents of her mug and slammed it back onto the table, smacking her lips with a pleased sigh. “Better not go easy on me, icebrain!”

-“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Farkas countered gruffly, a toothy grin tugging on his lips.

  Once settled and locked into place, the battle for dominance began. Their names were cheering from all around, giving them the boost of strength they needed to win. A droplet of sweat formed on Farkas’ forehead as he fought against the redhead. “You’re holding back, Aela.”

-“I just want… to make your defeat less embarrassing than it has to be~” Groaned the Huntress, a canine sticking out from her mouth as she bit into her bottom lip.

  Neither managed to overpower the other as their hands remained locked mid-way. Perhaps a tie was to be announced? Agavni was foolish to think so. Little did she know, there was no such thing as a tie in the Companions.

  A smirk etched over Aela's painted features, a guttural growl rumbling deep within her throat; her eyes instantly flashed and in less than a second, Farkas' arm was slammed into the table, the wood cracking upon contact. The room fell silent, stunned by the sudden victory; roaring laughter quickly followed, the Companions' voices exclaiming proudly her triumph and comforting her opponent. Farkas simply dusted the small pieces of wood from his limb, laughing off his defeat.

-“Now… How about a kiss for your Champion for her victory?” Aela grinned, arms pressed against her hips.

-"W-What?"

  Without warning, Agavni was pinned back into her seat; the redheaded woman leaned forward, exaggerating the puckering of her plump lips.

  The Harbinger chuckled beside them, making the petite mage wonder why on Nirn he wasn’t helping her instead. “U-Um… I… Uh…”  _ Stop laughing and save me, Kodlak! _

  Aela snickered at the sight of the young woman slowly sinking into her seat in an attempt to slide out from her imprisonment.  “At ease, Sister,” she spoke, ruffling Agavni's blond locks, “I was simply teasing you. Though I wouldn’t say no to a kiss on the cheek instead.” She presented  her painted flesh with a tap of her index finger, beckoning the tiny new blood.

-“Might as well do it, Agavni,” Kodlak suggested, “she’s not one to easily drop a subject.”

  Once again, the room fell silent and all eyes were on them.  _ Ngggh! This is so embarrassing! _ Agavni whined, silently praying for a miraculous distraction to take place. One which never came.

-“It’s just on the cheek, Aggy. Surely you know how to-” Before Aela could finish her remark, the young Dragonborn dove forward, laying a quick peck and collapsing back into her seat. Frozen in place and taken aback by the swiftness of the half-Nord’s action, the Huntress slowly emerged from her stupor with a squeal. “Aww!! That was the softest kiss I’ve ever had! Like a little feather.”

  Failing to dodge her, Agavni was pulled into a powerful embrace, face smothered into the drunk woman's breasts.  _ Can’t… breathe! _ Luckily, the distraction she had previous prayed for finally arrived as Torvar, in his even more inebriated state, declared proudly that he’d be singing for his beloved Siblings. After witnessing the amount of alcohol the man had consumed, Agavni had reached the conclusion that he was anything but human. Though that didn't matter to her at this moment as he had saved her from Aela… 

  The man climbed a table, knocking off a few goblets and straightened himself, a constant sway in his stance. With a clearing of his throat, he placed a hand over his chest and began deeply. “Ooooooooh! There once was a hero named Ragnar the Red who came riding to Whiterun from ol’ Roriksteeeead!”

  As much as the Dragonborn wanted to hear the rest of the tale, there was a particular subject that still held interest in her mind; leaning over to the old Harbinger, she gave his shoulder a timid poke. “Uh, sir? I’ve a few questions for you, if you don’t mind.”

  A gentle smile tugged below Kodlak’s silver white beard. “I figured that you would. Go on, I’m all ears.”

-“Um… Are…” Despite being hesitant, Agavni forced the topic out of her, “Are all the Companions werewolves?”

-“Not every Companion, no. Only members of the Circle all share the blood of the beast.”  _ Then that means apart from Farkas and Vilkas, Aela and Skjor are werewolves too… _

-“What about you?” The young woman didn’t think that the knowledge would change her opinion of Kodlak, but she thought it would be ideal to at least know if the Harbinger was a lycanthrope as well.

  The old man gave a short nod. “Though as I grow old, my mind turns to Sovngarde. I worry that Shor won’t call an animal to glory as he would a true Nord warrior.”

  There went that unpleasant subject again. Death. It seemed that wherever Agavni turned, death was all that anyone thought of these days. “I… I don’t understand. Why wouldn’t he grant you passage to Sovngarde?”

-“Living as beasts draws our souls closer to the Daedric Lord Hircine. Some may prefer an eternity in his Hunting Grounds, but I crave the fellowship of Sovngarde.”

-“I see…"  _But what are the Hunting Grounds?_

  Kodlak eyed her, suddenly growing troubled. “You’re not thinking of turning into a werebeast, are you?”

-“Oh goodness no! I’ve no desire whatsoever in becoming a beast.” She answered a bit too quickly, instantly regretting the words that suddenly sounded rude to her, “I-I mean… I-I’m sorry, I meant no disrespect.”

-“No need for apologies, Agavni.” A hearty chuckle rumbled within his broad chest, “I am glad you have no such intention. No matter what anyone says, this blood… it is no gift. It is a curse some of us fight against daily.”

-“Are you… looking to cure yourself?  _ Does _ a cure exist?”

-“Yes, but it’s no easy matter.” Kodlak was quick to dismiss the topic, “But you don’t need to share the worries of an old warrior. Today, we celebrate among family.”

  When he approached his goblet to clink with her’s, Agavni was quick to notice its near emptiness. “Oh! Allow me to bring you more.” Jumping from her seat, she cleared the empty bottles before them and headed for a nearby cabinet. 

  Placing down the empty containers and retrieving a few unopened mead bottles, she stopped before returning to her seat and took in the sight of her new family. Torvar and Farkas had begun a new song, one that was far too vulgar for Agavni’s liking, but the happiness that it brought to the others was all that mattered to her. It was a pleasant and heartwarming scene, one which made her suddenly wish that the night would never end.

  As she reached down to close the cabinet doors, coarse fingers unexpectedly wrapped themselves around her small wrist. “Vilkas?”

  The Nord leaned in and whispered, his warm breath strong with alcohol. “The bite… You can wash it off.”

-“Oh?” Running a hand over the bruised skin, the petite woman pondered as to why the subject was suddenly brought up, “Did it work?”

  He released her with a weakened sigh; grasping a bottle from her arms and popping it open, he hoped this one would be able to drown out his guilt. “Yeah… It worked.”


	16. ***slightly nsfw***

  As Agavni stepped under the small waterfall, the icy contact hit her hard. Her muscles instantly tensed and small tremors coursed through her being as she gave a slow exhale. “Just do it and get it over with.” She encouraged herself before holding her breath and leaning the rest of her body into the glacial embrace.

  Temporarily blinded by the foamy soap, her fingers raked through the golden locks and slowly worked out its morning knots. By the time the remains of the fragrant product were cleared, her body had more or less adjusted to the water’s low temperature.

  The idea of heating up the spring through the use of magic was a possibility for Agavni, one that had crossed her mind more than a few times; yet she always reminded herself of the risks of disbalancing the ecosystem if she did. _It’s not so bad now. Still cold, but at least more endurable than before._

  With a content moan, she stood beneath the cascade, crossing her arms over the slippery stone and leaning in her still-aching forehead. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the previous night, not with the Companions practically holding her hostage for the feast. She wasn’t even certain at what time she had returned home.

  At this very moment, the warmth and comfort of her precious bed was all that she desired. But Vilkas, being her superior within the ranks of the Companions, had seemed intent on training her for the day; and something told her that he wasn’t planning on letting her off the hook, no matter how sleepy she was.

  Her train of thought moved from the headstrong man to the memory of the wound on his neck. Suddenly, the petite mage remembered the letter that she had sent out to her mother about a month ago. _I wonder if Mother found those Marigolds I asked for… I was going to use them for something else, but they should help with that nasty bite on Vilkas’s neck, take away the ache at least._ Though the Companion had made no complaint, Agavni was well-aware that that sort of injury would be anything but ignorable without treatment.

  Absentmindedly, one of her hands made its way to her own neck, fingertips curiously inspecting the constant ache. _Might help with mine too. Tsk, did he have to bite so hard?_ The slightest touch, no matter how gentle it was, sent a small sting through her nerves, the bluish purple injury having yet to heal. “ _‘I won’t bite hard, you have my word’_ .” She repeated the Companion’s promise in a mocking tone, “Pff! If that was not biting hard, then I don’t want to know what hard _is_ for you.”

  Deep down, she knew that she wasn’t truly angry with Vilkas; after all, he seemed honest about his trouble with his inner beast and from what Agavni understood, biting her was the only solution.

  No… Her sentiments were mostly directed towards herself, towards how weak she had become under the act. The memory of it remained fresh within her mind, as clear as water.

  Like a burn, she could still feel his lips, warm and rough, latched onto her sensitive flesh. Goosebumps crawled over her bare arms as she could even imagine the hot breath that caressed her skin every time he’d exhale through his nose.

  Then there was the pain when he bit down a bit too hard for her liking, followed by an apologetic sweep of his moist muscle. That tongue. That damn tongue… The jolts it had sent through every fiber of her being with every hard lick had been so foreign, so enfeebling…

  Reminiscing those moments sent a sharp shudder through Agavni and she instantly fought back her uncontrolled reflections; her blood rushed to her cheeks, and she suddenly felt unusually hot. “Alright, that’s enough! Stop thinking about it!” She whined to herself, legs instinctively closing shut as a gentle heat pooled within her core.

  Like a violent shove back to reality, the petite woman suddenly jerked forward when a steady stream snuck its way between her shoulder blades, sending ticklish goosebumps over her naked skin.

  She immediately arched back with a yelp when her bosom accidentally connected with the cold stone of the waterfall. “Ah!! Da… Damn it!” She cried out, feeling as though she had been inappropriately groped. A soft whimper sang off her lips as she protectively cupped her large mounds, “Ngh! My poor breasts!”

  Pulling back from the cascade with a displeased murmur, she swam back to the edge of the spring, a brighter shade of rouge dusting her cheeks, “Well that was embarrassing… Glad that no one was around to see that.”

  In an attempt to forget her little accident, she reached an arm over the grass and snaked her hand into her knapsack, ruffling through its contents. Sketch book, coin purse, sewing and medical kits, various ingredients… Then hidden within the depths was a thin leather strap; holding it between her lips, the Dragonborn gathered her wet hair and swirled it into a heavy bun.

  Just as she was about to reach for the small basket containing the rest of her bathing supplies, the snap of a nearby branch caught her attention. Arms quickly draping back over her voluptuous breasts and ducking her shoulders into the water, Agavni nervously glanced around the forest.

  Her bathing spot had remained hidden and secret for quite some time. Had someone finally discovered it as well? _If that’s the case, I’ll have to bathe elsewhere as of now…_ The idea of someone watching her while in the nude didn’t sit well with her…

  Unmoving, she listened carefully, trying to locate the source of the noise. Letting out a shaky breath, she attempted to drown out the distracting thumping in her ears. _Just stay calm. Keep holding your focus._

  Keeping her unnatural amount of magicka under control was a constant struggle, one that required certain focus every passing minute of her days. Over the years, she had strengthened her mental stamina, learning to channel through her body the necessary amount of magicka for a spell. Of course, there were moments when she failed to hold that focus and most of her incredible reserve of magicka would burst out; those moments had been unpleasant for anyone unlucky enough to be within the vicinity.

  She had grown used to this continuous struggle that spelled disaster were she to let her guard down for a second, but in this moment of emotional distress, she could feel the overflow of her magicka seeping through her fingers ever-so-slowly. She prayed to the Gods that she didn’t lose control over it completely.

  Unfortunately, her focus only worsened at the sudden rustling to her right.

  Her thoughts felt scattered as she desperately searched her memories for a Thu’Um she had recently learned. _Damn it! How did the ethereal shout go again?! At least I won’t be touched if I use that one._ Eyes set on the small spacing between two bushes, she could have sworn she detected the intruder.

  Massive antlers were the first to emerge from the foliage, followed shortly after by a snow-white snout. The young woman froze, watching in fascination as her uninvited guest slowly revealed itself as a great white stag.

  She breathed out in relief, both glad and flustered at her pointless panic; she easily seized back the control over her magicka. “Almost had a heart attack there.”

  The creature stood a few feet away from her, powerful posture and much, _much_ , more massive than any other stag she had ever laid her eyes on. Though slightly intimidated, she found herself far more enchanted by the divine sight.

  Their gaze connected, motionless for what seemed like an eternity to Agavni. Strangely enough, its eyes held wisdom that seemed way beyond its years.

  Awkwardly, she averted her eyes from the creature for a second. “H-Hello.” To her surprise, it nodded its head in a greeting bow. Did it understand her? “Um… I wasn’t exactly expecting a visitor…”

  The grass rustled lightly as the magnificent being advanced towards her; leaning down, it approached its head, analytical and curious.

  The petite lady sank back into the water, arms tightening around her being. _Oh Gods. Please don’t attack me, please don’t attack me, please don’t attack me._

  As if sensing her sudden dismay, the stag pulled back. Just when Agavni thought that it was going to leave, it moved over to the pile of neatly stacked clothes and bags, crossing its legs beneath its heavy body and settling comfortably upon the fresh grass.

 _Oh come on! Out of all the places it could sit! How am I supposed retrieve my belongings now?_ Giving the animal an awkward wave of the hand, she made an attempt to scare it away. “Shoo! Go away!” An unpleasant huff of warm breath brushed over her face as the stag snorted out in displeasure.

  Arms defensively tightening over her bosom, Agavni stood her ground. “I’m not continuing while you’re here, so kindly leave please.”

  When the great white stag shook its head and opposingly crossed its front hooves one on top of the other, Agavni scoffed in disbelief. “I can’t believe it.” Facing her bare back to her unwanted guest, the bashful woman muttered to herself. “I’m stuck here with a voyeur stag.”

  A displeased glare was suddenly directed at the creature. “And it’s not like I can tell anyone about it! Who would believe me if I said that a forest animal had been keen on watching me bathe?”

  An awkward silence lingered between them before the animal nonchalantly pressed a hoof against the nearby basket and pushed its contents closer to Agavni.

  Her eyes moved between the bottles of soap and her new acquaintance, an indescribable disbelief etched over her features. “… I must be losing my mind…” She concluded, “How are you even… You’re a _stag_ ! _Stags_ don’t act the way that you do!”

 _-“An astute observation.”_ Mentally commented Hircine, _“Now I would like for the show to continue, if you please.”_ He nudged once more at the basket, insisting on his demand.

-“Tsk.” Pursing her lips in disapproval, Agavni snatched the washing cloth and poured a generous amount of soap onto it, “Might as well get this over with. So much for a peaceful bath…”

  She turned away once more and awkwardly resumed her activity, failing to ignore the constant and obvious presence behind her. Hands quivering, movements somewhat rushed… The Stag Prince could sense her nervousness no matter how much she tried to hide it. _“Easy does it, Agavni. There’s no need to rush~”_

  Tilting her head to the side, the petite lady scrubbed her neck, slowly making her way to her shoulder blades. Vilkas’ subtle scent easily washed away from the young woman. _“So the brat didn’t even make her bleed.”_ Hircine noted, _“Good. His odor was becoming insufferable.”_

  As the tiny woman quietly splashed water onto her skin, the Stag Prince rose and soundlessly made his way to her; he less than subtly pressed his snout onto the curve of her spine.

  Agavni’s back arched away from the shameless animal, a startled yelp rising from her throat. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” Involuntarily, she smacked a hand against his snout and shoved it down into the water. “Deciding to watch me and now _this_? You’re awfully rude, aren’t you?”

  Pulling out from the cold spring, the creature snorted the soapy water out of its nose. _“Did she seriously just shove my face into the water?!”_

  The Stag Prince was determined to obtain what he wanted and was intent on showing his authority, no matter the form he took. Straightening himself, he suddenly seemed much bigger than Agavni remembered.

  The earth suddenly seemed to quake when he raised his front hoof and stomped it down onto the ground; the supernatural sound it emitted thundered within the once quiet forest.

  Taken aback by the abnormal effect and frightened by the creature’s sudden aggression, Agavni almost instantly froze up again. “H… How…?” When the creature raised his leg again, she quickly sputtered out, sinking her head fearfully between her shoulders. “Ok, ok! Just… calm down, you… strange… supernatural stag.”

  Hircine chuckled proudly. _“Atta girl.”_ No resistance came from the young woman when he closed the distance between his snout and her damp flesh, earning all but a soft shudder.

  When he inhaled deeply, her odor hit him like a tidal wave. Like an aphrodisiac, heat overtook his body in an instant, pushing him to a more primal state of mind. His eyes slowly fluttered shut and he couldn’t help a second whiff. _“Her scent…”_ It was unlike what he had smelled before. Delicate, sweet… _“Ambrosial.”_

  He breathed in anew and held it, tasting the odor, dissecting it, locking it deep within the library of his vaste and ancient mind. Her odor was fragrant, exhilarating… _“Powerful…”_

  Leisurely, his eyes opened, connecting with her baby blues. They held innocence and peace, and at this very moment confusion and concern; Hircine suddenly felt drawn. _“I think there’s more to you than you are letting on, Agavni. A lot more.”_

  The incident with the split arrow, _his_ arrow, and now the young woman’s unusual scent, Hircine was starting to rethink the plans he had for her. _“You’re in luck, Pup. I’ll postpone my hunt on you. Because first, I intend to find out what you’re hiding.”_

*

-“Your hair’s wet,” Vilkas pointed out, running his fingers through her locks to test the level of humidity.

  A sharp shudder ran through Agavni before she smacked his hand away. “I took a bath longer than expected, didn’t have time to dry my hair.”

-“Oh?” The smirk that plastered over the Companion’s face was anything but innocent, “And what did you _do_ in the waters that took you so long?”

  The Dragonborn squinted at the man. “I’m… not sure what you’re getting at.”

-“Oh, you know,” twisting the palm of his hand upwards, he beckoned with his index and middle finger.

  Agavni’s brow quirked at the unusual gesture, oblivious to its meaning. “Am I supposed to know what that means?”

 **-“Save it, boy.”** Beast sighed at Vilkas’ losing attempt to tease the petite lady, **“She’s virgin through and through, I can sense it.”**

_-“Well surely she’s already-”_

**-“I** **_said_ ** **: Virgin. Through. And. Through. Hasn’t even been fingered.”**

  Though Beast had little to no faith in him, Vilkas was keen on making the young woman blush, just as she had when they were at the Frozen Hearth inn three nights ago. Settling down beside his Shield-Sister upon the cold stairs, he leaned back onto his elbows and continued casually. “ _That_ is a gesture used to please a woman.”

-“It didn’t look very pleasing…”

  Unable to contain the grin that her innocence brought to his features, the Companion decided to spill the beans. “It’s used for _fingering_ , kitten.”

  Her mouth suddenly hung agape, baffled by the unholy revelation. “You…” Cheeks burning redder by the second, she seemed incapable of expressing her sudden discomfort. As a result, she gave the Nord a hard slap across his broad shoulder.

  Vilkas burst into joyous laughter which only infuriated the tiny mage all the more. Shaking the sting out of her hand from her pathetic attack, she hissed. “I did no such thing!!”

-“I know, I know, calm down!” He held his hands up in defense, fighting down his merriment. “I was just kidding.”

-“The nerve!” Arms crossed over her chest, Agavni turned away with a huff. “And why on Nirn are you calling me that?”

-“What? Kitten? You thought that I’d forget that you purr in your sleep?”

  Just as Agavni opened her mouth to once again deny that unproven piece of information from their night at the inn of Winterhold, a gruff voice stepped in. “What’s this about purring?”

  Vilkas’ smile almost instantly dropped. His new Shield-Sister on the other hand, beamed at their guest. “Hunter! Glad you could make it!”

-“I said I’d come, didn’t I?” The Huntsman grinned toothily, earning a soft chuckle from the woman. Turning his attention to the grumpy Nord, Hunter playfully nudged him. “Nice to see you again, Vilkas.”

-“Bite me.”

  The Daedric Prince was less than surprised by the brat’s continuous disrespect towards his authority. Agavni however, was taken aback by the unexpected retort.

-“Vilkas,” she spoke out in a confused whisper. When he glanced up at her, his expression as sour as a lemon, the petite lady gave him a questioning glare.

  He gave no explanation, instead rising to his feet and urging her to the center of the courtyard. “Come on. We’ve delayed the training long enough.”

  Shrugging apologetically at Hunter, Agavni spun on her heels and followed the headstrong twin. “Vilkas,” she spoke quietly as he stretched his arms over his torso, “I don’t think this is a good idea…”

-“Scared?” He sneered.

-“A bit…” She admitted, “But it’s not only that. Your wound… It’ll open if you strain yourself.”

-“I’ll be fine.” He was then quick to change the subject, “Now, defend yourself.”

  Without warning, Vilkas lunged at her. Eyes widening and breath hitching, the young woman ducked under his attempted hold and jump away from him. The Nord glared at her. “I said defend yourself!”

-“I _am_ defending myself!”

  He attempted another grab, failing as Agavni managed to wrap an arm around his neck and forced him to bend him down to her hips. Though she kept him from breathing, Vilkas easily slid his limbs around her thin waist and lifted her off the ground, causing her to release the previous tension she had on his windpipe.

  Before he would begin another attack, the petite lady forcibly clapped her hands over his ears. He dropped her back to her feet, temporarily stunned by the buzzing in his ears; Vilkas then received a hard shove which distanced him from the cornered woman. “Not good enough.” He criticized. “I’m going to stop holding back if you don’t start putting more effort into your attacks.”

  Agavni’s next maneuver was both unexpected and swift. Perhaps it was panic, or a need to put an end to his harsh treatment, or maybe it was simply a desire to prove him wrong; either way, it was successful.

  The young woman twisted her body at an angle and gave her right leg a strong swing; Vilkas let out strained groan and for a second, the Dragonborn thought that he was going to pass out.

  The color drained from his face as he keeled over, one hand supporting his weight and the other holding his assaulted groin. He seemed to have momentarily forgotten how to breath as he fought down the bile in his throat.

-“Oh Gods! Vilkas!” Agavni knelt by him, instant regret plastered over her visage, “I’m so sorry! I didn't mean… Oh Gods, I'm so terribly sorry!”

  Unable to let go of his aching crotch, he nodded reassurance. “It’s alright… You did good…” He wheezed out, doubling over with a low curse at his state.

  At least Hunter seemed to be enjoying himself. “That was beautiful,” the Huntsman guffawed, knocking whatever breath the Companion had remained in his lungs with a smack over his back, “Go on, Vilkas, go take a breather. I’ll continue with Agavni.”

  The petite woman's gaze followed her Shield-Brother as he lumbered to the steps, sitting down heavily with a slow exhale.

-“Don't worry about him,” the Huntsman comforted, “he's had much worse.”

-“Still… I feel bad about it.”

-“Let's just focus on your training.” As he stepped forward, Hunter sensed the young woman instantly tense up. “What troubles you?” He questioned when she took a step away from him.

-“I was barely capable of handling Vilkas, and you… you’re… _bigger_.”

  A smile etched over his chiseled features at her words. “Don’t worry,” he winked flirtatiously, “I’ll play nice.”

-“With all due respect, I’m having a hard time believing th-AH!” Suddenly, his arm swiftly wrapped around her waist while the other reached down and hooked itself under her knee; a surprised squeal escaped her mouth when she suddenly felt herself falling, Hunter keeping a strong hold on smaller being as he went down on his knees with her.

  Gently placing the petite lady onto the ground, the Daedric Lord slid his knees between her legs and spread them apart, earning him a deep crimson blush from the golden-haired maiden beneath him. “There we go~”

-“W… What now?” Her voice faltered, body wiggling uncomfortably as she attempting to press her legs back together despite Hunter’s hips keeping her from doing so.

  Just like at the College of Winterhold when Vilkas had attacked her, she felt exposed and vulnerable.

-“Now,” the Nord placed his hands on each side of her head and gently smiled down at her, “imagine that I’m pinning you down, just like this. What do you do to get out of this naughty little situation?”

  Her eyes darted between them, attempting to identify her options. “I don't know.” She admitted timidly.

-“It's easy,” he reassured, “you're just going to need to practice it. First, you'll have to start by grabbing my neck and pulling me down…”

  Agavni obeyed, hooking her hands behind his neck and pulling him flush against her. “Good! Now lock your arm over mine to trap it, just like this. Bend your left leg, stretch out your left arm, and give a strong push with both to your right.”

  Despite her best efforts, the petite lady needed some help from Hunter. He allowed himself to topple over to the side slightly and next thing Agavni knew, they had switched their spots: Hunter now laid with his back pressed against the cold stone, while she straddled his stomach.

-“Hey! Good job!” Cheered the Huntsman, clapping his hands over her spread thighs, “I knew you could do it.”

  Her eyes sparkled and her cheeks stretched into a sweet smile. “Thank you, Hunter.”

  Running his hands down to her calves, the Nordic man gave a testing squeeze. “You've got strong legs! All you'll need to do is work on your upper body strength.”

  The Daedric Lord turned his gaze towards the growling Companion as Agavni climbed off of him.

 _-“That smug grinned, sly motherfucker!”_ Vilkas ground his teeth at the sight.

 **-“You’re just jealous she wasn't mounted on you instead.”** Chuckled Beast in amusement, **“I bet Master got a pretty nice view of those jugs too. And her thighs must have felt real nice~”**

  This continued for a while longer, much to Vilkas’ displeasure. Hunter showed Agavni a few more tricks to get out of sticky situations, all of which he knew would be of no help during the Blood Hunt. At some point, the Companion was certain that the Daedric Prince was just finding excuses to lay his hands on the petite lady.

  Then, Vilkas had had enough. “Alright, that’s it.” He snapped, rising to his feet, “Go take a seat, _Hunter_ and I will have a little brawl of our own. You might learn more from watching.”

  Agavni’s eyes darted towards the Companion, concern instantly flooding her features. “Vilkas, are you s-”

-“I’m sure.” Interrupted the man, stepping between the two and casting Agavni away from the Huntsman, “Go sit down.”

-“But Vilkas…”

-“I’ll be fine.” He spoke again in a raised tone. The young woman gave a slow nod, obeying her superior’s order.

-“You smell lovely, by the way.” Added the Huntsman, hoping to further provoke the lycanthrope. He was successful as he noticed the man's expression go from pissed to furious in an instant.

  The young woman on the other hand stopped in her tracks, surprised by the unexpected compliment. “Oh! Thank you! I mean, I probably just smell like sweat at the moment…”

-“Nevertheless,” Hunter grinned, “I can smell past the sweat. Your scent is very… enjoyable.”

 **-“You know what this means, right?”** Vilkas didn’t answer, his Daedric Master having unfortunately touched a sensitive nerve, **“He’s got her scent memorized.”**

  Just as Hunter turned his attention back to his opponent, the Companion’s fist furiously connected with the man’s strong jaw. He attempted a second blow, ineffective as Hunter caught his hand in a bone-crushing grip.

  By the time Vilkas realized his failure, the Daedric Prince took a hold of his collar and smashed his forehead against his nose. A sickening crunch pierced into his ears.

-“Uh… Aren’t you guys taking this a bit too far?” Agavni’s voice sounded through their brawl, clearly terrified by the scene she was witnessing.

-“It’s fine,” laughed Hunter, pleased with the sight of the groaning Companion, “we always brawled like this.”

  A growl rumbled deep within Vilkas’ chest, escalating to a roar as he charged for his opponent and tackled him to the ground. As they landed with a hard thud, the lycanthrope took hold of Hunter’s red shirt and lifted him off the ground, only to forcefully slam his head back down against the stone.

  Blood boiling, eyes seeing red… The headstrong twin couldn’t even tell that Beast was slowly taking over his being. **“That’s right, boy!”** Its excitement seeped into its hosts mind, **“Let me take control. I’ll give Master a fight he’ll be proud of.”**  

  The Father of Manbeasts leered up at him, boastful and vicious. “What’s this?” He whispered mockingly, “Are you about to release your beast, Vilkas? Right here? Among all these innocent people?”

  As if a bucket of cold water had been splashed onto him, Vilkas suddenly realized how close he had stepped to the line between humanity and monstrosity. His guard went down for less than a second, yet it was enough for the Huntsman to press a leg over his abdomen and toss him off. Before he could react, his Daedric Master had him pinned down and swiftly struck a powerful blow to his jaw.

-“You’ve grown weak, Vilkas…” The Prince snarled lowly, “So. So. Weak.” And with every word, his bloodied fist connected with Vilkas’ visage.

  No matter how many times the Companion had experienced Hircine’s violent punishments, he never seemed to get used to the brutality of it. At least this time, the Daedric Prince seemed to be holding back on their audience’s account.

-“Wait! Wait! Stop!” Agavni suddenly shrieked, her cry piercing through the courtyard like an arrow.

  Vilkas couldn’t hear anything at this point, all but a continuous buzz penetrated his ears. He saw Hunter’s fist go up once more; his reflexes kicked in and he instinctively shut his eyes, waiting for the Prince to deliver yet another mighty blow. To his surprise, that blow never came.

  Daring to open his eyes, he found the Huntsman’s arm being held back by the petite woman; both arms wrapped around the powerful limb, she leaned her body weight away from her Shield-Brother. “That’s enough!” She cried out, voice breaking, “I don’t care if this is how you two brawl! I don’t want to see anymore of it!”

  Though the Huntsman quietly gave in to the half-Nord’s demand, Vilkas seemed less than pleased with Agavni’s interruption. “Damn it, I’m fine!”

-“No, you’re not!” She suddenly barked, aiding his staggering body to his feet. When Vilkas shrugged her off, she gave him a furious scowl and strictly pointed to a seat, “On the chair. Now. I’m treating those injuries whether you like it or not.”

  With a less than subtle curse, Vilkas marched over to the indicated chair.

**-“Had you given me control over your body…”**

_-“Shut the fuck up, Beast!”_ The lycanthrope mentally snarled, _“I am far from being in the mood to put up with your shit.”_

**-“I’m just saying, your defeat would have looked less embarrassing had you given me the reins for a while.”**

  Vilkas boiled on the inside, growing angrier by the second for having taken the beating from his Daedric Master. **“On the bright side, you didn’t earn yourself a new scar.”**

  As he sank into the chair with a frustrated sigh, Agavni wasted no time into taking a look at his injuries. The bruises on his face could wait; what worried her the most was the blood that had seeped through the bandages around his neck.

-“Oh,” Hunter leaned in over Agavni, faking interest, “how’d you get that wound there, Vilkas?”

  A proud smirk etched over the Prince’s face when he received nothing but a rageful glare from the Companion.

  Realizing that her Shield-Brother wasn’t going to answer, Agavni had decided to speak up. “Some stupid jerk bit him.”

  Hunter’s face immediately dropped at her cold and unforeseen reply. “Some…stupid… jerk?”

  The golden-haired maiden's brows knitted into a disapproving frown. “Yes. It’s really unbelievable. To bite someone in the neck. I hope they get what's coming to them.”

  When the Father of Manbeasts turned his head away, a surprised annoyance dancing on his once proud features. He obviously didn't approve of the insult that had been directed towards him, even if Agavni didn't know that he had been the cause of the bite. From his reaction, it was evident that he wanted to keep that information away from her.

  This time, it was Vilkas’ turn to smile. _“Ha! Serves you right, you asshole!”_ As if having heard his thoughts, the Daedric Lord shot him a warning glare, one which Vilkas ignored with a roll of his silver eyes.

  Once the wrappings were removed, Agavni grimaced at the sight. “Tsk, the wounds opened again. Hunter, would you mind going inside and bringing me some clean wraps? You can ask Tilma, she’ll give them to you.”

  With a nod, the Huntsman headed indoors, leaving Vilkas and Agavni alone in the courtyard.

  Though he was still embarrassed by his humiliating defeat, the lycanthrope gathered his courage to undo the damage he had caused by snapping at the tiny mage earlier. “Listen, I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about me so much… I’m not made of glass.”

-“No, but you are made of flesh and blood.” She explained softly, “Even if you are a lycanthrope, I’m certain that you are not invincible.”

 **-“You keep thinking that, darling.”** Chuckled Beast, **“We’ll see how invincible I am when I get my hands on you.”**

_-“You are not going to touch her.”_

**-“Did you forget about the Blood Hunt? I _will_ get my hands on her, that is if you don’t snap before then. Also,”** the creature scratched its chin pensively, **“You should really fuck her soon. When the time of the hunt comes, the amount of hormones you have going on will be overwhelming; and I’d really rather we didn’t hump a dead body…”**

_-“You’re sick, you know that?”_

  A arrogant snicker resonated within his head. **“And you can’t do anything about it, boy.”**

  Agavni’s gentle voice once again cut their discussion. “I asked my mother to send specific ingredients. Until I receive them, it’s better for you to go easy for a while.”

  He gave a short nod, his own way of saying thank you. His heartbeat suddenly accelerated as her fingers curiously traced to a scar between his neck and shoulder. Goosebumps coursed to the nape of his neck, her cold touch once again strangely pleasant.

-“Hmm, how did you get this?”

  Knowing exactly which scar she meant, the Companion answered simply. “An arrow sliced me.”

  Agavni winced at the very thought. “Bandits?”

-“No. A… hunting accident.”

  When her Shield-Brother’s eyes shamefully dropped to the ground, the young woman sensed that there was more to it. “Do you want to talk about it?” She questioned softly, resting one of her hands over his shoulder.

  The Companion’s lips drew into a thin line, a snarl forming within his throat. “Just… Mind your own business.”

  Taken aback by the renewed hostility, Agavni slowly retreated her hand back to the bloody fabric, muttering out a soft ‘alright’. After that, they both went silent.

  However, it didn't take long for Vilkas to feel bad for snapping at the young woman once again. _"She was just trying to help…"_ He understood her, mentally cursing his own short temper. “Listen, I didn’t mean-”

-“No, no! It’s… It’s alright.” Though her words were meant to reassure him, Vilkas could tell that he had upset her, “You’re right, it’s not my business. I apologize if I brought back unpleasant memories. Just know that… if you ever need someone to talk to… I'm always ears, Vilkas.”

  The lycanthrope ran a hand over the scar, its history bringing back old flashbacks of his childhood and adolescence, causing a deep and personal pain within his very soul. No. He couldn't talk about it, not with Agavni nor anyone. He'd have to deal with his regrets on his own, just as he had for over a decade.

  That was the punishment he was inflicting upon for himself for his past mistakes.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thank you to OmniGamer for helping me with this chapter!! <3

_   He had been staring at the familiar sight for what seemed to be an eternity, and even then, he refused to look away. This memory of the past, his past… Visioning it once again was punishment. _

_   Vilkas still remembered it as if it were yesterday. He could feel the exhaustion in his muscles and the numbing silence buzzing in his ears, and suffer the ever-growing heartbreak that penetrated the very center of his soul. How could Vilkas forget His death when his conscience refused to let it go? _

_   The young Companion reached for the victim’s face, sweeping away His straw-colored hair. As always, Vilkas was greeted by a gentle smile. It was reassuring, forgiving… A smile he longed to see again in reality. _

_   Leaning down, the lycanthrope rested upon His unmoving chest, uttering once more a useless apology. “I’m so sorry.” And usually, this was when Vilkas would awaken from his slumber; alas, that was not the case. _

_   Though he had recalled this day many times before, something was different tonight. A gentle voice, familiar and somewhat sorrowful, suddenly started repeating the same sentence over and over in a tearful whisper. “Daar los hin folaas.” _

_   He didn’t know what those words meant nor why he hadn't heard them before… Why was tonight so different? _

_   His thoughts were cut short however, when footsteps sounded from behind him; glancing over his shoulder, he found elder hunters as well as young ones approaching the corpse. To Vilkas’ dismay, a bestial hunger lingered in their eyes, their gaze fixated on the dead body. _

_ -“No!” He cried out, his teenage voice echoing strangely, “Stay away from Him!” _

_   Suddenly, the environment changed. The once green fields turned black, burnt away by flames; the trees had either met the same fate, or had been snapped by unknown forces. The once blue sky was now painted a fiery orange, emphasizing the redness of the beautiful Blood Moon. _

_   One of the hunters raised his hands up in defense at Vilkas’ sudden hostility. “At ease, brethren. The kill was yours, you get the first bite.” _

_ -“My kill? What are you-?” When the Companion turned back to the corpse, he immediately felt a lump form in his throat. The straw-colored hair remained, but the body changed before his very eyes. _

_   The previous victim was gone, instead replaced by a vision of the future. “No… No!” He cried out at the sight of the tiny woman, his voice having returned to the present gruff one. _

_   Sweet, innocent Agavni. Bloodied. Lifeless. It was a sight that Vilkas had wished to never witness. _

_   She laid beside him, twisted from an obvious struggle. Her chest was ripped wide open, the rib cage within shattered and the muscles torn apart: the ribs were separated from the sternum, with both lungs punctured and pulled out the cavity. And her heart… The sacred organ was missing. _

_   Furthermore, there was a strange ringing in Vilkas’ ears; reaching up and sticking a finger into his canal, the Nord felt a warm and sticky substance. _

_   Blood. It seemed that Vilkas had somehow sustained permanent damage to his hearing. But what had been its cause? _

_ -“You’re lucky to have avoided her attack.” An old Altmer huntress spoke up, “She easily snapped those trees over there. Had you not dodged her shout, you’d be dead.” _

_   Shout? What on Nirn was the old woman talking about? Was that what damaged his hearing? _

_ -“Enough talk!” Interrupted a Khajiit, “This one is eager to feast! Eat the heart so that we may join in already!” _

_   The Companion’s gut churned. As if by instinct, he glanced down and found himself bare and filthy, his armor having torn from an obviously uncontrolled transformation; one forced by the Daedric Lord himself, Vilkas assumed. In his right hand, rested Agavni’s still beating heart. _

_   So it was him who had caught her, the prey of the Blood Hunt. _

_ -“Think he knew her?” The hunters mumbled among themselves. _

_ -“Does it matter? What’s done is done.” _

_   No matter from which perspective Vilkas looked at her, her lifeless eyes burned into his soul. They judged him, blamed him, and hated him. For what he had done, Vilkas hated himself too. _

_ -“Wipe your eyes, brethren.” Gruffly ordered a scarred Nord, “You’ve done well. Master will be pleased.” _

_   Vilkas couldn’t care less for Hircine’s approval. He never cared. The only reason he had ever accepted the cursed blood, was to impress one person and one person alone: Him. _

_   He wished he hadn’t avoided Agavni’s attack as the old woman had informed him. He wished his neck had snapped like a branch and that he laid dead in her place instead. _

_   But that was obviously not the case. What’s done is done, as the other hunter had said. All that Vilkas could do right now, was find the will to live with this regret. _

_   Reaching for the petite woman, he laid a hand upon her cheek as gently as possible; as if he could break her anymore than he already had. “I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.” He whispered, hoping that somehow she could hear him. _

_   A tear slowly rolled down Agavni’s now pale flesh, and into the crimson pool beneath her. Gradually, the ringing in the Companion’s ears increased; it got deeper, sharper… _

_   Then the dream world started to collapse: the hunters and huntresses faded into nothing, followed by the Hunting Grounds. _

_   The last one to leave was Agavni, but not before her ethereal voice barked out, louder and clearer than before. “Neh, Vilkas! Daar los hin folaas!” _

*

  The last thing Vilkas expected was waking up on the cold hardwood floor, and even less with tears rolling down his cheeks. Had he truly been crying in his sleep, he wondered?

  Fearful that his Shield-Siblings might catch him in this deplorable state for a Nord, he quickly wiped the salty remains with the back of his hand, sniffling and clearing his whimpering voice.

  He pushed himself up with a bit too much haste and failed to notice the obstacle above him; a sharp hiss whistled through gritted teeth as the back of his head connected with the nightstand. “Motherf-!”

  He realized that he had been too loud when clatter sounded from the nearby bedroom and for a second, he thought he had awakened his brother. He fought back the pain as he sat on his hind legs, silencing his vulgar cursing. Frozen, the Companion listened carefully for even the slightest movement from his twin’s room; when Farkas ceased stirring, Vilkas deemed it safe to proceed.

  The wool blanket suddenly seemed heavier than it truly was. It felt like it was crushing him; hot and sticky, Vilkas threw off the fabric. Sweat clung to his skin, its scent penetrating his room and his nose.

  It was only when he felt a slow trickle move between his shoulder blades and down the curve of his spine, that he realized how drenched he was.  Though his body felt more dirty than he was used to and begged for a bath, Vilkas’ mind thought back on the dream.

  The dream, as clear as spring water, replayed over and over within his head. The smells, the metallic taste of blood on his tongue, his two blonde victims… Anxiety and sorrow hit him hard at the thought of it all and before he knew it, Vilkas felt bile rise up his throat.

  A reflexive gag jumped from his chest and he immediately knew that he wouldn’t be able to fight it down. He staggered to the nearest pot in a blind panic and bent into it, violently heaving out the contents of his stomach.

  The smell rose into his nose and the vile taste touched his palate, ushering yet another wave from the weakening man. “F-Fuck!” Tears stung his eyes at the sensory overload as acid burned at his throat.   He fell back onto his arse, leaning his head into his hands with a quivering breath.

**-“That was disgusting…”**

  Great. Beast was awake too. “Just… Shut up… Beast…”

**-“To think that I’m stuck within such a weak vessel…”** Complained the creature sourly,  **“All this drama for a dream.”**

  A faint chuckle danced on the Companion’s lips. “Weak? You’re the one who’s been having trouble taking control of my body.”

  Beast’s jaw tensed and its fists curled, claws sinking deep into its flesh; through the creature’s silence, Vilkas wondered if he had gone too far by pointing out the obvious.

  Though the headstrong man refused to give into his cursed blood’s desire, he knew angering it wasn’t the wisest of decisions. Though it’s not like he was going to apologize to it…

  A shatter sounded from the adjacent room, snapping him back from his reverie.  _ “Farkas?” _

**-“I’m guessing the clumsy oaf is awake too now.”**

_ -“Need I remind you, that’s my brother you’re talking about.” _

**-“Oh boo-fucking-hoo. I wouldn’t care if he had been the bitch that brought you into this world.”** Beast spat cruelly. Clearly it was still pissed from its host’s previous statement.

  Farkas’ bedroom door creaked, followed by the sound of knocking on Vilkas’; he guessed that the other Nord was probably just checking up on him.

-“Coming.” Called out hoarsely Vilkas. The knocking came again, though this time it was panicked and desperate.

  Concerned, the lycanthrope quickly jumped to his feet and rushed to the door, nearly falling over the mess of blankets.

  He found Farkas behind the unlocked door, his brother’s hands holding a fistful of hair and teeth grinding in pain. “B-Brother…” He groaned, “My blood… It’s… burning! P-Please… Make it st-!”

  His legs unexpectedly gave in and Vilkas’ heart jumped at the sight of the suddenly collapsing man. He immediately caught the massive body in his arms, but only barely. “Shit! Farkas!” Shutting the door behind him, he guided Farkas onto the vacant bed. _ “Why are you so fucking heavy?!” _

  His twin grew heavier by the second and the headstrong Companion found it harder to drag him. “Screw it,” he muttered aloud. It was too much a hassle to get his rock-of-a-brother to the bed. The floor would be good enough.

_ -“What’s going on?” _ He questioned once Farkas was ‘comfortably’ settled,  _ “It’s unusual that the both of us are having such a difficult night.” _

**-“He felt it too, just as you did.”** Answered calmly Beast.

_ -“Felt what?” _

**-“The approach of the Blood Hunt. Everyone bearing Lord Hircine’s gifts experiences it differently. You felt it through a dream and your brother, well, it was more…** **_physical_ ** **. Thus the ‘burning’ of his blood.”**

  Was that what he saw in his dreams? The Blood Hunt? Was Agavni to truly die at his hands? Was history to repeat itself? So many questions danced in his mind that Vilkas was starting to feel dizzy.  _ “I…” _

**-“You what? Don’t want to kill her? Need I remind you, you have no say in the matter.”** Spoke harshly Beast, clearly growing impatient with Vilkas’s continuous resistance,  **“If Lord Hircine wants you to kill her, then you kill her. Now stop complaining about it!”**

  Vilkas nervously ran his hand through his brown curls, the silence of the room weighing down heavily on him and increasing the uneasiness of the subject Beast had brought up.

  Unable to stand another second alone with the creature within, the lycanthrope attempted to wake up his sibling. Crouching down, Vilkas gave a slap over the sleeping man’s cheek. “Brother, speak to me.” When no response came, he decided to go for a more Nordic approach.

  Raising his fist into the air, the Companion landed a powerful blow into Farkas’ stomach. His twin’s blue eyes shot open in shock as he let out a pained groan. At least it worked. “Farkas? Talk to me.”

-“I… I’m…” There was a long pause, Farkas seemingly too distracted by the growing ache in his stomach to find his words. “I’m here…”

-“Are you? Tell me how many fingers I’m holding up.”

-“Two,” he said, swatting away Vilkas’ fingers. “I’m fine.”

-“Say that to the floor and the dent you left.”

-“You dropped me?!” He pushed himself up quickly to see if Vilkas had been telling the truth. There had been no dent, but Vilkas’ earlier ‘love-tap’ left enough evidence regardless to be suspect. “Fucking Oblivion…”

-“You’re obviously feeling better…”

-“No thanks to you. Help me up.”

  Vilkas offered a hand, almost getting yanked down himself as he helped his brother to his feet. Farkas remained unsteady, so Vilkas led him back to the bed, this time successfully getting him on it.

  Eyes focused on some distant point in the room, his brother remained troubled. “Everything just feels so… different. So… wrong…” He hugged himself.

-“What’s your beast telling you?”

-“Telling me?” Farkas frowned confusedly, “The beast doesn’t  _ say _ anything, it just…  _ wants _ .”

-“It… doesn’t speak to you?” His brother shook his head, “Huh…”

  Puzzled, the other Nord’s brows knitted into a frown. “What are you…”

-“It’s nothing,” Vilkas interrupted. If Beast was unique to him, he didn’t want to add extra worry to his brother’s already troubled mind.

  Farkas opened his mouth to argue, but quickly closed it again. “Vilkas, I…” The man hung his head, “I’m scared. I’m scared I’ll kill someone without meaning to.”

-“You won’t kill anyone. I know-”

-“I almost killed Aggy.” Admitted the heavier Nord, interrupting his brother.

  The elder twin’s blood suddenly ran cold. “What?”

-“Back at Dustman’s Cairn. After killing those Silver Hands, I turned to her and I just… Brother, she looked so weak, so fragile. An easy… prey… I guess. She was lucky that there were bars separating us.”

-“I see.” Was all Vilkas could mutter out.

  For both Farkas’ and Agavni’s sake, Vilkas would need to keep them apart; at least long enough for him to get a more solid grasp on where they stood. He knew he could only keep Agavni in the dark for so long before she needed an explanation. Vilkas had come to realize that the young woman was far more observant than he had initially thought.

-“Alright. Listen. You can stay here for tonight,” Just as he had when they were children, Vilkas reached out and placed a comforting hand on his younger twin’s feverish forehead. Almost immediately, Farkas seemed to relax under his touch. “Just close your eyes, I’ll keep watch.”

  Within minutes, the heavier man was fast asleep. Vilkas would have to speak to Kodlak in the morning; hopefully the old man would have found a solution to their so-called gift.

*

  Red cloak draped loosely over her shoulders, Agavni had decided to take a quick stroll through Whiterun. She hadn’t been able to fall back asleep after the nightmare she had witnessed, and now hoped that some fresh air would clear her mind. 

  She headed to the empty marketplace and climbed the stairs leading to the Wind District. Crossing the path between two houses, Agavni realized that she wasn’t as alone as she thought.

  A lone figure sat along the benches just underneath the Gildergreen tree. Eyes closed, he seemed to be meditating, or maybe just listening to the night noises; the wolves were being particularly loud tonight.

  For a second, she contemplated the idea of joining Hunter, but then told herself otherwise.  _ Wouldn’t want to disturb him. _

  Just as she turned to head back, the Huntsman’s voice called out to her smoothly. “Join me, Agavni. There’s no need to be shy.”

  Quietly, the petite lady made her way over to him. She could feel his curious gaze on her, but avoided his unnaturally golden eyes. Silently, she sank into the empty seat beside him.

-“Can’t sleep?” The small woman shook her head in response, “What troubles you?”

  Should she tell him of the nightmare that awakened her? Of the werewolves that chased her across vast forests, and of the silver and golden eyed beast that lunged for her at the very end? Agavni waved a dismissing hand. “Ah, nothing of importance. What about you? Why are you out this late?”

-“The moon,” he started, waving a lazy hand in the direction of Masser. “It tells of good things to come.”

  Her eyes followed his gesture, finding the twin bodies hugging close with Masser dominating the smaller Secunda. All of it felt more ominous rather than anything positive. “But don’t you feel sorry for it?”

-“It?” Hunter stretched his arms over his head, the one closest to Agavni coming to rest behind the woman’s back.

-“Secunda. Masser is extinguishing its light.”

  Hunter smoothed his other hand over his stubble, then let it fall to his side. “But that’s just how things are. The more powerful devour the weak.”

-“But, shouldn’t the powerful defend the weak?” She asked peering up at him.

  He raised a curious brow. “Then what of the deer you slew? Certainly it would have felt the same.”

   Agavni had no words. It was true, and she supposed there could have been alternatives to the feast that had been laid out in her honor.

  She felt a gentle nudge to her side. Hunter was still staring straight ahead. “Don’t worry about it so much, I would’ve killed it if you hadn’t. Speaking of… I want to know.”

-“Know what?”

-“More about you,” he replied, shifting so his body was more facing her. “Start by explaining those archery skills of yours; in all my years, I haven’t met a single person to split my arrow in half.”

  Her fingers pressed together with the sudden scrutiny. “My father…” Agavni said with a quiet whisper. “Then my grandmother.”

  He nodded knowingly. “He was a good hunter?”

  Tears dotted the corner of her eyes. No matter how pleasant, the memories hurt. “The best.”

-“He has my respects then.” Hunter had no more words to share. He relaxed back into his seat, and closed his mysterious eyes again.  

  The scent of upcoming rain snuck into the Daedric Lord’s nose: a storm was coming. Perhaps they should be heading indoors. But then again, maybe getting caught under the rain with Agavni would be interesting. After all, she had more secrets he was curious about, and more than a few under that dress of hers. “It’s starting to-”

-“Wait a second…” The young woman suddenly cut him off mid-sentence. Eyes wide, she stared nervously into the distance, “Was… Was that lightning?”

-“Are you afraid of lightning, Agavni?”

-“What? No, of course not!” She denied a little too quickly.

  Hunter quirked an eyebrow. The racing of her heart in his ears said otherwise. “Are you s-?”

  Thunder cracked in the distance and the young woman’s heart jumped with it. “Yes I’m sure!” She snapped, hands shakily buckling her crimson cloak. “We should head indoors, wouldn’t want to get caught in a storm!”

  By the time the Huntsman opened his mouth to speak up, the petite lady was already walking away, panic evident in her steps.

-“Now hold on a second!” Hunter called out, easily catching up to her in a few quick strides. Still, Agavni kept up her fast pace. “At least let me escort you back home.”

  Distracted by the roaring thunder, the young woman wasted no time in linking her arm with his and continuing her march across the marketplace.

-“We can head back to my room…” he offered, his voice tickling the shell of her ear. “Perhaps find something to,  _ distract  _ you from this weather.”

  The petite lady drew in tighter, not because of Hunter’s offer, but of the warmth his body provided against the starting downpour. “You can walk me to my door. It’s just up ahead.” She pointed to the quaint two-story building.

-“How convenient for me then. I’ll be right next door if you need me… for  _ anything _ .”

-“Next… door…?” The young woman repeated slowly.

  He gestured to the building across the street when they arrived. “I’m staying at the Drunken Huntsman. Thought it sounded perfect; even more so now that I know it has such a beautiful neighbor to boot.” Hunter added with a sly grin.

  Agavni blushed, quickly looking down to hide the pink on her cheeks.  _ How forward…  _


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit goes to Eugene Field for the "Norse Lullaby" used in this chapter!
> 
> Once again, a big thank you to OmniGamer for helping me out! <3

  The lightning storm had raged on a lot longer than Agavni thought it would, and a lot louder. Or at least, for her it did.

  She found herself in the same position as she did for many years now, with sweat clinging to her flesh and violent tremors coursing through her petite body. With her arms wrapped around her knees and her erratic breath beating against her thighs, she slowly felt her mind growing faint. Worst of all, she couldn’t seem to find the courage to come out of hiding.

  Lupin, as she had come to call her new puppy, peered at the whimpering young woman hidden beneath the bed. Tilting his little head to the side, he was clearly confused by his new mistress’ miserable state.

  The room flashed with a bright blue once more, followed shortly after by the violent roar of thunder. Pressing her hands tightly against her ears, Agavni attempted to block out the frightening noise. “M-Mara, Akatosh… Julianos and… and…”

  Unable to distract herself from her fears, a quiet sob escaped her throat. She couldn’t even remember the names of the Nine Divines, which she usually knew like the back of her hand. She’d considered naming the Daedric Princes as a method of distraction; yet she refrained from doing so out of fear of somehow summoning the infamous entities.

  After countless hours of hiding underneath the bed, she eventually wished that she had returned to Jorrvaskr, to be in the company of her new family. But then again, she was the new blood, the whelp of the Companions. To their eyes, she was still a weakling. To her eyes, she was just that.

  No. She did the right thing. Running to them during a thunderstorm would have done little to improve their opinion of her. Or at least, that’s what she kept telling herself.

  An unexpected warmth radiated into her side. Glancing down, Agavni found Lupin curled up into a little ball. He had wiggled under the bed with her and pressed his tiny body against her; whining with worry, his blue eyes connected with her own.

-“Oh, sweetheart… I-I’m alright,” she lied, running a shaky hand over his soft head.

  As if offended by her white lie, thunder snapped once more; Agavni found herself weakening again. Eyes shut and forehead pressed down into the cold floor, she could no longer fight back the need. Silently, she cried.

*

  Kodlak was seated at his usual table, writing once again in what Vilkas assumed was his journal. Having never actually seen the contents of the book, the younger Companion could only guess what was written within its pages.

  He approached quietly and still, his presence was sensed. Before Vilkas could catch a peek at the journal, Kodlak closed it shut. A warm smile was offered in its stead. “Good morning, Vilkas.”

-“Morning.” He yawned in reply, “You’re up early.”

-“As are you.” Pointed out the old man. “You… look rather unwell.”

  Vilkas pulled up a chair and sank heavily into it. “Thanks…”

-“Did you get any sleep last night? Surely it wasn’t the storm that kept you up.”

-“Have you ever seen me frightened by a petty storm like some child?”

-“I was simply asking, son.”

  Suddenly ashamed by his words, the younger Companion’s head dropped. “I’m sorry, Kodlak, I… I didn’t mean to snap. I guess I’m just worried for Farkas. He’s not doing well.” Leaning forward, he spoke lowly, as if the very subject was taboo. “Please tell me you’ve found a cure.”

  The old Harbinger closed his eyes, a soft sigh leaving his lips. “I’m sorry, Vilkas.”

  Vilkas leaned back into his seat, eyes flicking back to his lap. Every time he hoped for a solution, and every time he was discouraged.

**-“See? I keep telling you there’s no such thing as a cure. But do you listen to me? Of course you don’t. Always hoping, always deceived…”** Beast sneered. **“Accept it, boy, we’re stuck together ‘til the end of your days.”**

-“Come,” invited Kodlak as he rose to his feet, “let’s get you something to eat. You look like you’ve been to Oblivion and back.”

*

  The day had passed relatively quick, and by the end of it Vilkas found mental refuge at the local inn. Kodlak’s words continued to repeat in his mind.

**-“Aww, come on. Spending your life with me isn’t all that bad.”** Vilkas took another swig, hoping the ale would drown out Beast’s voice.  **“In fact, if you just let me take control once in awhile, I could turn you into a legend.”**

  Raising his hand, the lone Companion snapped his fingers for the barmaid. She gave him an acknowledging nod. “I’d rather die…” He hissed to Beast.

  The creature grimaced at the umpteenth cup of ale that was placed before its host.  **“At this rate, you just might. Tsk. You’re turning into a drunkard…”**

  Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. Honestly, Vilkas didn’t care anymore.

**-“Alright, alright. How about this? You put away your drink and we… Vilkas, are you even listening to me?”**

  The Companion continued drinking. “Nope. And you know what? We’re… hic… We’re done.”

**-“You’re making it sound like we’re married…”**

-“Shut up.”

**-“Should I start calling you ‘darling’ instead?”** Muttered Beast.

  Vilkas emptied out his cup and sent it clanging to the ground. “I said,  _ shut up _ !”

  The inn turned as silent as funeral. **“Nice… Real nice…”**

  Hulda, the innkeeper, approached him. “Alright, that’s enough drinking for tonight, Companion. How about you head on home. Or would you like to be escorted?”

-“I know my way back…” Growled Vilkas, shrugging the woman off. “You… old hag…”

  Slamming his payment onto the countertop, he made his way to the door with a sway in his step. 

  Tilting his head back, he inhaled deeply the cold Skyrim air. 

  It smelled mainly of burning wood, evacuated from the houses. There was also a hint of fresh vegetables and metals, their odors still lingering on the market stands even after being cleared off.

  Then of course, there was the dominating scent of Hircine’s very presence. Of powerful, ancient magicks, earth, and of blood. A constant reminder to Vilkas of what was to come.

  His legs started moving on their own accord. Beast was quick to speak up.  **“Uh… Where do you think you’re going? Jorrvaskr’s on your right.”**

-“Hircine shaid he’d… be staying in town.”

**-“So…?”**

-“He… wasn’t at The Bannered Mare.” Vilkas explained slowly, seemingly having trouble with finding his words. “Which means…”

**-“For the love of-! Get to the point already!”**

-“… he’s at The Drunken Huntsman,” finished the Nord, “It’s close to where… hic…  _ she _ lives too…”

**-“Oh Gods,”** Beast groaned,  **“Don’t do anything stupid.”**

-“It’s not shtupid, you… shtupid!” The creature went quiet. Vilkas took that as a small victory. “I just… want to talk to him… with my fists…”

**-“You want to fight Lord Hircine… in such a drunken state?”**

  Vilkas sputtered, swatting his hand at the invisible entity. “I’m not drunk!”

**-“Yeah, whatever you say… Just don’t get yourself killed.”**

  Grinning, the Companion let out a snort. “Aww, are you worried about me, Beasti-boo?”

  It took a few seconds for the words to sink in.  **“You did not… just call me that.”** Its host was definitely out of his mind; even Beast knew he’d never use such a ridiculous nickname.  **“I’m definitely going to remind you of that in the morning. And, I’m not worried. I just don’t want you telling Lord Hircine things that he doesn’t need to know.”**

-“Such as…?”

  There was hesitation.  **“Such as me being different from the others.”**

  Vilkas stopped in his tracks. A dumb grin spread over his face. 

**-“It’ll be bad for you too, dumbass!”** The creature was quick to burst his bubble, instantly knowing of Vilkas’ new intention, **“He’d restore me to my bestial mind. You’ll have more trouble fighting me then.”**

-“Ok? But… how is that bad for you?”

**-“I quite like this whole free will thing.”** Beast mumbled admittingly.

  Even with half his mind, Vilkas knew of the difficulties of carrying a bloodlusting creature. After all, Beast hadn’t always been this aware. “Alright, alright! Fine! You win! Let’s just… go home I guess.”

-“Vilkas?” A melodic voice called, “What are you doing?”

  The man glanced around, searching for the source. “Um… Up here, Vilkas.” It called once more.

  Tossing his head back, he found Agavni sticking her head out of a window. “Agavni? What… What are you doing at the inn?”

-“The inn? Vilkas, this is my home. And why are you being so loud in the middle of the night?”

-“J-Just… shtay right there! I’m coming up!” He had to save her! Get her out of that inn and away from Hircine.

  Had he been in his right mind, Vilkas would have never attempted to climb the poles supporting Agavni’s balcony. But he wasn’t in his right mind, and he did attempt to climb those poles.

-“Shh! Stop being so loud!” She half-whispered, glancing around hoping he hadn’t awakened any of the neighbors.

  Her head disappeared back into her home, only for her to run out of the front door in nothing but a small robe tied tightly around her thin waist.

  Tugging at his shirt, she attempted to pry him off the supports. “Oh my Gods, Vilkas! Are you drunk?”

-“N-Not drunk.” He slurred, falling to the ground heavily. He frowned up at her from the cobblestones. “What are you doing at the inn? You need… to stay away from him!”

-“Vilkas, this isn’t the inn.” She explained once more, calmly and patiently. “You’re at Breezehome now, my  _ home _ .”

  The Companion eyed the building, slowly realizing his mistake. “Ah.”

  Realizing just how inebriated her Shield-Brother was, Agavni shook her head disapprovingly. “We need to get you back to Jorrvaskr.”

-“Nooo…” Vilkas whined, “I want to stay here tonight. It shmells like wet dogs there, and here it doesn’t.”

-“Is there a problem here, citizen?”

  The drunk man shot a glare at the unwelcomed city guard. “The only promblem here, ish your armor!” He slurred, rising to his feet with difficulty. Leaning towards the guard, he squinted into the man’s helm. “How do you even… hic… shee anything through those holes?”

  Agavni snatched back the Companion’s curious fingers as he attempted to poke into the helm’s slits; at this rate, her drunk Shield-Brother would get himself sleeping in a cell for the night. “My deepest apologies, Sir Knight. He’s awfully drunk, as you can see. I’ll, uh, I’ll handle him; he won’t be causing any trouble under my watch.”

-“If you say so, Dragonborn.” Eyeing the large Nord, the Whiterun guard didn’t seem too convinced, “Give us a holler if you need assistance. Someone will come running.”

  A snort sounded from Vilkas, followed by a series of giggles. “Dragonborn? Her? Pfft! Does  _ this _ ,” his arms flailed up and down, gesturing at the petite woman, “look like a Dragonborn to you?”

  Agavni glanced down at herself, uncertain as to what the Nord meant by ‘this’; she pulled her robes closer, suddenly feeling very self-conscious of her small stature.

-“If anything, I think that  _ you _ are the great and mighty  _ Dragonborn _ , Shir Knight.”

-“That’s enough, Vilkas.” Agavni barked. She stepped aside and gestured the drunk into Breezehome, “Inside. Now.”

  Vilkas managed to gesture rudely to the guard before the young woman pushed him indoors. As soon as the Companion stepped in, he felt somewhat calmer, warmer. He was as light as a feather and as heavy as a horker. For a second, he thought he was going to fall.

-“What’s the matter with you?!” The petite woman’s voice hissed, suddenly pulling him from his trance, “Were you trying to get arrested?!”

  He shrugged. If only the room would stop spinning, he’d probably be able to give her a better answer. “He was… being…” Vilkas held up a single finger, waving it desperately to find a word, “nosy…”

-“ _ Nosy _ ? Vilkas, he’s a  _ guard _ ; it’s his job to be nosy. Not to mention that you were being… rowdy.”

  The lycanthrope’s shoulders slumped forward, a pout quivering on his lips. “Please don’t be mad.”

  Agavni’s heart tightened. She never thought to see Vilkas is such a sad state. With a discouraged sigh, she tugged on his shirt. “Come. You need some rest.”

-“I can’t… hic… get  _ any _ rest! Not with  _ them _ around!”

-“Them…?”

-“Yes!” Vilkas snapped, “If it’s not Beast, then it’s  _ him _ !”

   _Him? Beast? Who is he talking about?_ Too tired to continue interrogating the drunk man, the Dragonborn pulled on his shirt once more, insisting on her request. “Come. I won’t let  _ him _ … or  _ them _ … bother you tonight. You’ll rest easy.”

  Helping him up to the second floor took a lot longer than it should have. But that wasn’t what bothered Agavni; it was the fact that he continued towards her room instead of turning to the guest room. “Ah, Vilkas? It’s this way.”

  He didn’t hear her. By the time she followed him into her room, he was already sprawled out on her bed.

-“Or take my bed I guess…”

  Vilkas’s head propped up and he gave her a crooked grin. “Come.” He invited her, arms open wide.

-“No, it’s ok. I’ll be in the guest room.” She preferred to avoid sleeping beside a drunken man, especially one who had groped her when sober… 

  As she turned to leave the room, Agavni felt arms wrap around her waist. Glancing over her shoulder, she found the Companion kneeling at the edge of the bed, forehead pressed into the curve of her spine. “Vilkas?”

  His tired voice grumbled against her back. “Don’t go.”

-“I’m right next door, Vilkas,” Agavni reassured, pushing against his arms with a struggled grunt, “Vilkas, I… I can’t breathe… Too tight!”

-“I can’t. He’ll… get you if I let go.”

   _Who on Nirn is he talking about?_ “Alright, Vilkas.” Agavni attempted a deep breath despite the Nord squeezing her, “I’ll stay, but only if you go to bed and close your eyes.”

-“You think I’m stupid?” He grumbled, “You’ll leave once I do. I… can’t let that happen. He’ll get you. I need to protect you from him.”

-“No one’s going to get me.” She insisted, struggling between gasps. “Vilkas please, I can’t breathe! Let go!”

-“No… You need to stay with me. Th-That way, I could protect you.”

-“Protect me from w-Ah?!” Before the Dragonborn could retort, she was suddenly heaved off the ground and thrown onto the mattress beside the Companion. “Ouf! Vilkas!”

  Scrambling to jump off, she was less than gently pushed back down. Vilkas soon climbed on top of her, towering over her petite being. He ran a thumb over her cheek. “You’re… so, so pretty.”

-“V-Vilkas, what… what are you doing? Get off!” Agavni’s voice quivered, etching away from his touch. She pushed at his shoulders, but that only seemed to agitate him more.

  The large Nord leaned down, pressing his weight onto her. She struggled to breathe, yet Vilkas didn’t seem to notice. Burrowing his nose deep into her hair, he inhaled her fragrant scent. “Smell so nice too…”

  Agavni’s face scrunched up at the odor of warm alcohol that rolled off his tongue. “Vilkas, I-I won’t say it again. Get. Off.” Despite the tremor in her muscles, there was warning in her voice.

  She subtly reached for the vase perched on her nightstand. While the lycanthrope was occupied by his nuzzling into her robe’s collar, Beast sensed the incoming threat.

**-“Uh, Vilkas… You best get some sense back before she knocks some into you…”**

  Driven by instinct, Vilkas caught her wrist; the sudden act causing Agavni to drop her chosen weapon.

  Taking hold of her hand in his larger one, his fingers curled around her palm. “No…” He whined into the crook of her still-covered shoulder, having failed to reveal the sensitive patch of skin.

  His other hand darted towards the knots of her robe and fumbled with them. “V-Vilkas! Get a hold of yourself!”

  Despite his drunkenness, he managed to undo them, revealing the laced strap of her nightgown.

  Agavni had turned a new shade of red at this point, brows knitted into a flustered frown.

**-“Well, I’ll be damned…”** Beast purred, tempted by the sight of the bared junction at the base of her throat.

-“Vilkas…” She whimpered, confusion and embarrassment evident on the young woman’s delicate features.  “P-Please let go.”

  Pressing his nose into the crook of her neck and nudging the fabric aside, Vilkas continued his thoughts out loud. “If I mark… they’ll leave you alone.”

-“M-Mark?” Oh Gods, he  _ was  _ planning on biting her again, wasn’t he? Agavni let out a quiet whimper at the frightening thought, wiggling uncomfortably underneath his weight, “Vilkas, please no!”

  Despite her protests, his lips ghosted over her soft flesh. “Shhh. It’s alright, kitten.” He cooed gently, his attempt at reassuring the quivering woman failing. “It’s for your protection.”

  Tossing her head to the side, Agavni violently tried to tug her captured hand free. When that failed, her free hand turned to smacking him on the back of the head. Her thoughts even went as far as attempting as shout.  _ No, I… I might kill him. There has to be another way. _

  Without a second thought she parted her lips and did the only thing she could think of. She sang.

 

“The sky is dark and the hills are white

As the storm-king speeds from the north to-night;

And this is the song the storm-king sings,

As over the world his cloak he flings:

‘Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;’”

 

  Vilkas had ceased his maneuver, his eyes confusedly fixated on the petite lady beneath him. Although timid, she continued her father’s lullaby.

 

“He rustles his wings and gruffly sings:

‘Sleep, little one, sleep.’

On yonder mountain-side a vine

Clings at the foot of a mother pine;

The tree bends over the trembling thing,

And only the vine can hear her sing:

‘Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;

What shall you fear when I am here?

Sleep, little one, sleep.’”

 

  Slowly, the Companion’s tight grip on her hand loosened. His arms gave in under his weight. Her heart beat into his ear, unmatching her melody yet somehow adding to his comfort.

 

“The king may sing in his bitter flight,

The pine may croon to the vine to-night,

But the little snowflake at my breast

Liketh the song I sing the best, ---

‘Sleep, sleep, little one, sleep;

Weary thou art, anext my heart;

Sleep, little one, sleep.’”

 

  When she finished her song, it took a few minutes before Vilkas spoke up. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled groggily, “for… getting you into all of this…”

-“Hey, it’s alright.” Agavni soothed, running a hand over his brown locks. “It’s not everyday you’re this drunk.”

  Sliding his arms under her waist, Vilkas embraced her. “That’s not what I meant.”

  Agavni suddenly felt a small trickle down her flesh. Glancing down, she found Vilkas fast asleep and tears dotting the corners of his exhausted eyes.

 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, dear readers! These last few months had been pretty tough for me, which would explain the long wait for the update (3 months!); but I just wanted to let you know that I truly appreciate how patient you've been this entire time. You're all wonderful and always manage to brighten my days.  
> I also wanted to wish you all the happiest of holidays and the brightest 2019 ^^ May you all reach your goals in this coming year!
> 
> Special thanks to OmniGamer, for being the sweetheart that she is, for motivating and encouraging me, and for lending me a hand when I needed it! <3 (Boy did I need it for this chapter! xD)

  The pounding headache was the first thing he felt developing deep within his head and expanding against the walls of his skull. It pushed and pushed until Vilkas was brutally pulled out of his much-needed slumber, and for a moment, he thought he was dying.

  Slowly creaking his eyes open, a low hiss whistled between his teeth, the burning brightness of the sun piercing into his retina. Running a hand over his face in an attempt to block out the detestable light, his arm tightened around something soft and small. 

  He glanced down, discovering a stuffed bear pressed tightly against his chest. “What the f…?” Somewhat embarrassed by the thought of cuddling a toy, the hungover Companion shoved it away.

  Instinctively, he searched the room in hopes that no one had caught him in the act. However, the momentary panic quickly dispersed when he realized that he was alone.

  He sat at the edge of the unfamiliar bed, running a hand over his tired eyes. Smacking his lips, he tried to rid of the dry layer of saliva within his mouth, dehydration clearly running rampant through his body.

  What time of the day was it? Where was he? How had he gotten here? And why couldn’t he remember anything?

  After a difficult reflection, he decided that he’d find his answers through exploration. As he rose to his feet, the room almost instantly started to spin and he nearly lost his footing. Vilkas quickly clung onto the nearby nightstand. 

**-“Good morning, sleeping ugly.”** Amusedly hummed his cursed blood.

_ -“Morning… asshole…” _

  The creature internally eyed its host’s pathetic state.  **“You look like shit.”** It commented bitterly.

-“Thanks…” Muttered Vilkas.

  Moving away from the furniture, his fingers brushed against a cold object. Senses still somewhat lacking in efficiency, it took a moment before the Nord recognized the item as a palm-sized broach.

  He brought it up to his face, squinting as he focused his vision on its engravement.

  An eye. Similar to the banner of-

  Like a hot coal, he dropped the broach and quickly turned back to examine the room. To his left, stood a closed wardrobe; from its knob, hung a delicate blue dress.

  Beside the large furniture was a wooden vanity, adorned with neatly placed vials and a small bowl containing a variety of flowers. He spotted a silver brush on its surface, strays of golden hairs caught in its bristles.

  Mage.

  Woman.

  Blond.

  Vilkas’ discoveries led to one guess as to where he was.

_ -“Is this Agavni’s room…?” _

**-“It is.”**

_ -“Did I spend the night here?” _

**-“** **_We_ ** **did. And let me tell you, the whelp… Hooo boy.”** Howled the creature, making its host uneasy,  **“We had the wildest night with her.”**

_ -“W-We? With… her?” _

  Beast ran a tongue over its razor teeth, mischief dancing in its golden eyes .  **“Aye. With your inebriation, you did a pitifully sloppy job. But worry not, I saved your hide when I took over; those whimpers quickly turned to sweet screams~”**

  Vilkas let out a quivering breath. Had his nightmare come true? Had he forced himself onto his poor Shield-Sister? Just how drunk had he been to lack said memory? Suddenly, his headache only grew worse. “Oh Gods…”

  Despite the persistent nausea, Vilkas urged his body out the door. His heart drummed into his ears, his mind frightful of what he might discover.

  Perhaps he'd find the petite blond curled up in a corner, trauma lingering into her blue eyes. Or perhaps… he might find her bloodied, lifeless…

  Walking to the top of the stairs, he noticed the bedroom to his right. He peeked in, finding a clean bed and a nightstand. On the nightstand laid an open book.

  The Companion assumed that the room had been used as of late.  

  He barely had the time to think about it when a gentle melody caught his attention. Its tongue foreign to Vilkas’ ears, the birdlike voice sang a joyful tune. A love song perhaps?

  Quietly creeping down the stairs, the Companion peeked through the railing.

  There she was, the source of the enchanting voice.

  Bowl in one hand and a whisk in the other, she swayed side to side with a grin plastered on her delicate features.

  Before her was the small puppy she had found during her hunt. Fueled with excitement, the animal pounced around, joining his new mistress in her dance.

  To Vilkas’ displeasure, the song was quickly cut short when the pup toppled over, inciting a hand to dart for Agavni’s mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughter. Taking her reaction as a positive, her pet excitedly responded with a high-pitched bark.

-“Hush, Lupin!” The young woman quickly half-whispered, “Don't go waking our guest.”

  With the worst of luck on his side, the wood beneath the lycanthrope’s foot creaked. Suddenly, two pairs of blue eyes turned in his direction.

-“Oh! Vilkas!” Agavni called out in surprise.

  The small puppy barked its own greeting.

-“S-Sorry. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop…”

  Her lips curled into a timid smile. “No worries. Did you sleep well?”

**-“Like a babe.”** Purred Beast, pulling its host back into anxiety. Vilkas found himself wishing to address the sinful subject as soon as possible.

  Hesitantly, he approached her, only to earn a protective growl from Lupin.

-“Lupin!” Agavni scolded, “Vilkas is a friend, we don’t growl at him!”

  The large Companion forced out a laugh. “I-It’s fine.”

**-“Let’s kill it.”**

_ -“What? No!” _

**-“He’s insulting me.”**

_ -“He’s a puppy!” _

**-“I’ll snap his fucking neck.”** Beast warned, growling back at the tiny creature.

  Agavni took Lupin in her arms, lulling the tiny creature back to peace. “I’m so sorry, Vilkas. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

-“He’s just protective of you, that’s all. Um, listen…” A hand reached out for her, but quickly withdrew. “I… I’m sorry… For what I did to you last night…”

  The tiny blond awkwardly scratched her cheek. “Ah, don’t worry about that. You were drunk.”

-“No, that doesn’t excuse what I did. I’m… not one to force myself on women.”

-“Well, sure it was a bit awkward, but there was honestly no harm done.”

-“No harm…? Well, I mean…” He ignored the echoing chuckle in his head.

-“Really… it was… fine?”

  Fine? “Well…” The Companion cleared his throat, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, “I just assumed that the, uh, sex… we had…”

  Agavni’s eyes grew wide, her blood almost instantly rushing to her already rosy cheeks. “E-Excuse me?” She squeaked out, “Vilkas, we never… You slept throughout the entire night. W-We did no such thing. We didn't even sleep in the same bed!”

  Confused. Relieved. Embarrassed. The Nord breathed out heavily.  _ “You lied to me.” _ He hissed at Beast accusingly,  _ “We didn’t take her virginity!” _

**-“No, we didn’t. That little lie was for annoying me last night, you drunkard.”**

_ -“You mother-!” _

-“Vilkas? Are you alright?”

  The Companion forced a smile despite his indescribable embarrassment, and the anger still tingeing his thoughts. “Fine. I'm…”

  The nausea was finally too much to handle. A lump was quickly making its way up his throat. Slapping a hand over his mouth, he fought down the sudden urge to throw up.

  Agavni quickly caught on, setting Lupin aside and rummaging through her cupboards. Pulling out a silver bowl, she held the large container beneath his chin. “Here! Do it in here!”

  With its dangerous proximity, the lycanthrope could feel the metal’s harmful burn; avoiding it like a plague, he opted to empty the contents of his stomach into a nearby pot instead.

  Soon enough, a small hand pressed up onto his drenched shirt and started rubbing soothing circles onto his back. The motion was quickly followed by words of comfort. “Shh, it’s alright, Vilkas. You’ll be ok.”

  The lycanthrope let out a quivering breath, his whole being suddenly feeling very heavy.

  Agavni tugged on his arm, carefully leading him onto a nearby chair. Running a hand over his forehead, she peered at him, worry evident on her features. “How are you feeling?”

-“Like an idiot…” He frowned weakly at the petite lady, a frustrated blush creeping on his face, “If we didn’t have sex, then what  _ did _ I do last night that was ‘fine’?”

  Her head sank between her shoulders, fingers nervously twiddling. “W-Well… You…”

-“I what? Spit it out!”

-“You tried to bite me again!” She squeaked quickly, flinching from the sudden rise in tone of the Companion's mighty voice.

-“Bite you…?”

  Beast grinned.  **“You tried to mark her, to be more precise.”**

-“Ysgramor's beard…” Vilkas pinched the top of his nose, hiding behind thick brown locks.

  Giving him an uncertain pat on the shoulder, Agavni spoke softly. “I-It's fine, Vilkas. Really. Look, how about we just… let go of the whole thing?”

  Her manicured brows drew together, lips drawing thin with concern when she received a discouraged hum in response. “Here.” Reaching into the pocket of her apron, she pulled out a small vial, “Ignore the smell. Just down it.”

-“What… is it?” The large man took it into his hands hesitantly, grimacing at the overwhelming odor that infiltrated his senses.

-“For your hangover. Trust me, it’ll make you feel better.”

  Surely it couldn’t be worse than what he was feeling. With a sharp exhale, he tossed his head back and chugged the greenish substance in large gulps. 

-“Ngh!!” Baring his teeth with disgust, he fought down a second wave of nausea.

**-“Haha! Glad I don’t… taste…”** Vilkas suddenly felt Beast grow heavier.

  The creature staggered, shaking its head in confusion at the unexpected symptoms it was experiencing.

_ -“Beast? What’s going on?” _ The question came out instinctively, though he honestly didn’t care for the creature’s well-being.

**-“I… I don’t know…”** It stammered,  **“The potion… Ask her the ingredients…”**

-“Um, what was in the drink?”

  The young woman raised a brow. “Why are you asking? Is it not working?”

-“On the contrary, I’m feeling much better.”

  Aggravated, Beast snarled.  **“Don’t test me, boy…”**

  Agavni glanced up at the ceiling, a pensive air about her as she tapped a finger on her lips. “Well… There’s some honeycomb, a torchbug, wheat… Um… A warbler egg, and… Oh! And a dash of wolfsbane.”

  Vilkas felt his stomach churn, realizing that everything she had listed, he had ingested. Beast on the other hand, was absolutely infuriated.

**-“Wolfsbane?! That bitch!!”** The cursed entity roared, its voice sending a powerful wave through its host’s mind,  **“She’s trying to poison me!”**

_ -“C-Calm down!” _ Hissed Vilkas, clutching his head with both hands,  _ “She didn’t do it on purpose!” _

**-“We’re not accepting anymore potions from her, you got that?”**

  As Beast calmed, its Companion managed to peek up at the young woman before him, and once again, he found her draped in worry. “You know what? How about you go wash up?” She suggested softly, the tenderness of her voice pleasant to the numbing headache, “I think it'll do you some good.”

**-“Hmm, not a bad idea. You really reek…”**

_ -“You think so?” _ Pulling on his collar, the lycanthrope inhaled his scent,  _ “It's not that bad…” _

  He received an impatient growl in return.  **“It is for me! Go bathe, you-!”** The entity’s voice cut abruptly as it suddenly gagged, though it was difficult to tell if it was from the potion in his system or some further crude emphasis about his smell.

  Too tired to deal with his mental roommate’s attitude, Vilkas nodded at Agavni. “Alright.”

  Silently, she hooked her hands around his arm and gently tugged him up. Seemingly afraid that he might tumble over, she kept a tight grip on him as she led him down the stairs to her basement.

-“It's adorable…” He chuckled quietly.

-“What is?”

  He nodded down at their physical contact. “You thinking that you can catch me if I fall.”

  Her baby blues avoided his silver gaze, a pout forming on her lips. “Well, at least I would try to cushion your fall.”

  Vilkas had attempted a clever response, but the sight of her bathing room made him speechless.

  It was bigger than he had anticipated, its aura warm and welcoming. Empty lanterns hung along the stone walls, flickering to life a bright golden glow. 

  They walked down the wooden path, elegantly and carefully placed, leading to a large brass tub filled with water.

  Agavni rolled up a sleeve and reached into the tub. Curious, her Shield-Brother stepped beside her, peeking into the clear liquid.

  A strange symbol was carved into the metal, glowing a soft red when the tiny mage's palm made contact.

  Pulling out and shaking her fingers dry, she turned back towards her guest with a smile. “Give it a few minutes, the water will be warm soon.”

  Before he could question the magic behind the symbol, Agavni made her way to the wooden cabinet at the far left of the bathing room and pulled out two towels.

-“I’m leaving these right here.” She instructed, placing the clean fabrics on the adjacent vanity table, “Feel free to take what you need.”

  As he thanked her, she made her way back to the stairs, giving him his privacy. Yet, before she reached half-way, Vilkas called out to her. A question had been bugging him for a while. “Did you sleep in the guest room?”

-“I did. Why?”

-“Why not give  _ me  _ the guest room? You could have slept in your own bed.”

  Agavni’s eyes darted to the side. “You uh… You're taller. I wasn't sure if you'd fit in the guest bed.”

  She cleared her throat and continued her way back up the stairs, clearly avoiding the topic. “Anyways. Take your time. Breakfast should be ready by the time you’re done.”

-“Thanks.”

  He waited until she was out of sight before starting to undress, carelessly tossing his clothes in a pile onto the seat of a chair.

  As he sank into the warm water, a satisfied sigh left his lips. He rested against the cold bronze, leaning his head back and shutting his eyes; he could feel his tense muscles loosening, and the sweat clinging onto his flesh slowly sullying the clear waters. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this good.

**-“She lied, you know.”**

  Running a damp hand over his hair, Vilkas reached over for a small vial, containing what he assumed was soap.  _ “What about?” _

**-“She didn't give you her bed. Your drunken ass took it. And that stuffed animal you're wondering about… well… you wouldn’t let her go and she needed something to take her place.”**

_ -“Huh…” _ The new pieces of information brought anything but comfort to the lycanthrope. If anything, he felt all-the-more embarrassed by his drunken self.  _ “Why are you telling me this?” _

  Beast shrugged, fatigue evident in its voice.  **“Just thought you should know…”**

_ -“Will I ever understand you, Beast…?” _

**-“Ugh, don’t get all sappy with me.”** Groaned the creature, giving its host a toothy grimace,  **“Don’t mistake my actions for kindness. Anything I say or do, it’s for** **_my_ ** **benefit. Nothing more.”**

  Lazily scrubbing the fragrant product onto his scalp, Vilkas rolled his eyes.  _ “Duly noted.” _

  Silence lingered between them as the Companion continued to wash himself. Slowly, bits and pieces of his memories became clear.  _ “Last night, when you kept me from getting killed…” _

**-“Again, you’re confusing what I did with kindness.”**

_ -“No, that’s not what I’m trying to say. You… You were scared, Beast. Scared that Hircine would revert you back to your primal state. Why haven’t you told me about this before?” _

**-“There was never the need for me to warn you.”** Beast sighed,  **“Ever since Ms Melons came into the picture, Lord Hircine’s been more… present in our lives, it seems. Admittedly, it's becoming unnerving.”**

_ -“I see… Wait. Did you just call her ‘Ms Melons’…?” _

  The creature snickered.  **“Don't think I haven't noticed you staring at those jugs since you fetched her from the College.”**

  Cheeks burning hot, Vilkas nervously glanced away.  _ “I-I haven’t-” _

**-“Oh, yes you have. Come now, there's no need to be shy~”**

  Before the Companion could deny Beast’s statement, the creature let out a pitiful moan.  **“Anyways, finish up your bath. I need silence.”**

  The silver-eyed Nord wasn’t about to argue, accepting with open arms the scarce solitude that his beast was granting him.

  Though as much as he wanted the moment to last, it wasn’t meant to be. Within minutes, he had finished bathing and had moved over to the mess he had left on the chair.

**-“Wait!”** Beast’s voice suddenly boomed when its host reached over for the pile of clothing.

  Vilkas instantly stilled.  _ “What?” _

  With a disgusted frown, the cursed entity growled.  **“You’re not planning on wearing those stink-ridden clothes after your bath, are you?”**

_ -“So what if I am…?” _

**-“So what if-?! That’s fucking disgusting! Get some fresh attire, you animal!”**

  With an exasperated groan, Vilkas made his way back to the main floor. “Hey, uh? Do you have any spare clothes that I could use?” He awkwardly called out to Agavni.

  The petite blond glanced over to find him in nothing but a towel, brown locks still dripping with water. She cleared her throat, dropping her gaze from the sight. “A-Ah, yes. Follow me.”

  She led him back up to the top floor, her steps somewhat rushed. As he quietly followed her, Vilkas noticed a light blush creeping up her cheeks. He couldn’t help a proud smile.

*

-“You seemed, uh,  _ worried _ last night.”

  Her Shield-Brother peeked through the towel as he continued rubbing the water from his hair. “Worried?”

-“Yes. Something about a ‘them’ not letting you get any sleep.” She tilted her head to the side, “Are you in some sort of trouble, Vilkas?”

_ -“Just how much did I tell her?” _

**-“Luckily for you, not much more.”**

  He waved a dismissing hand. “I was drunk. Must have spoken some nonsense.”

  Her lips pursed, seemingly unconvinced. “I see.” 

  As she continued to fill her purse, Vilkas raised a perplexed brow. “You’re not staying?”

-“I’m afraid not.” She offered an apologetic smile, “I need to see Kodlak about finishing my quest.”

-“Quest?”

-“Dustman’s Cairn with Farkas.”

  The lycanthrope froze. Curling his hands into fists, he bore his teeth. “You will do no such thing.”

  Taken aback by his sudden change in attitude, Agavni sputtered. “I… W-Why?”

-“Because I said so.” Hissed the man.

-“That’s not an answer, Vilkas. What is it? Are you worried I'll get hurt?”

  His gaze dropped to the ground, fighting back the quiver in his voice. “It’s not you I’m worried about…”

  Her eyes softened. “Farkas.” She nodded in comprehension, “I understand. What if you come with me instead?”

-“That’s… a better option.” He nodded.

-“Alright then,” she smiled reassuringly, “I’ll let you know what Kodlak thinks.”

  She threw the leather strap of her purse across her bosom and made her way to the door. Though when her hand grasped the doorknob, she stilled. “Hey, Vilkas? Why do you dislike Hunter?” Her unexpected question earned her confused hum. “I'm not dumb. I sense something between you two. A… tension of some sort.”

  The Companion hesitated. “He…”

**-“Vilkas, don’t…”** There was warning in Beast’s voice, reminding him of the consequences should he reveal the Daedric Prince’s identity to the small blond.

-“He… owes me gold…”

  Agavni gawked at him. “He owes you gold…?” She received a nod. “Why not just ask him for the money back?”

-“One does not simply  _ ask _ ‘Hunter’ for recompense!” The stubborn Companion snapped, quickly realizing that the conversation was taking the path he was trying to avoid. “Just… drop the subject, would you?”

  She paused to chew her lip briefly. “If you say so.” She muttered.

  Without another word, she stepped through the door and shut it behind her. That was enough for one morning…


End file.
